


Vitas Brevis, Ars Longa

by baethoven



Series: Vitas Brevis, Ars Longa [1]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Student/Teacher, Gen, M/M, Slow Burn, Teacher-Student Relationship, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-10
Updated: 2017-03-08
Packaged: 2018-05-19 12:46:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 45,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5967871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baethoven/pseuds/baethoven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Brendol Hux is a doctoral candidate for the School of Business, with a full load of classes to teach alongside his research. Kylo Ren is a ridiculous student in his "Business And the Arts" seminar. Hux hates whimsical artists and Kylo's attitude. Kylo hates school and this bullshit class. But maybe they'll learn a thing or two from each other, if they can pull their heads out of the sand first.</p><p>University AU with a slow burn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Contrary to the opinions of his colleagues, Hux was in no way prepared or ready to tackle the beginning of the new semester. The general attitude among the applied teaching faculty of _First Order School of Business (_ within the city's ludicrously large University) was that Hux was fastidiously dedicated to his research and teaching, and could not wait to get back to torturing whatever undergrads were tossed his way; at least they had implied as much at the faculty mixer the week before. However, Hux was- at least privately - saddened to leave the bright tendrils of sunlight and dry heat that would filter through the windows of his study and curl about the room. His summer had been uncharacteristically relaxed, his days filled with research and consultations, his evenings spent walking the parks or beaches and drinking wine in the hot night air. He loathed to return to the _Business Administration_ building, with its sterile hallways and concerning lack of windows, to have to corral groups of uninterested undergraduates, teeming with every excuse in the world _not_ to do their work.

To further compound his disgust was his teaching schedule. Atop of the usual freshmen seminars he had to teach (which were, frankly, torture in and of themselves), as wells as the few precious small group seminar courses that he actually enjoyed, he had been unfortunate enough to have pulled straws to teach the seminar, _Business and The Arts_. It was an upper level seminar required of all students in the College of the Arts to impart some sort of survival sense so they all would not, presumably, end up on the streets when the reality of their whimsical choice in majors dawned on them. It was notoriously difficult for being filled with petulant 'artists' who generally disregarded any advice the class had to offer. And if there was one thing Hux hated, it was _free spirited artists._

But, lacking tenure and thus any sort of security at the time, Hux kept his thoughts to himself and accepted whatever was given to him. The department was gracious enough to give him classes to being with, and he was not about to turn away a stable source of income during his doctoral studies. So, with a heavy dread and no amount of enthusiasm, Hux walked the campus that day, heading to his first class with a folder full of syllabi.

The campus was teeming with students, the quad practically littered with garden variety of undergraduates. Hux passed the doe eyed freshmen, jittering down the walk ways, back packs slung tightly over their shoulders and arms filled with a few hundred dollars' worth of new text books. The seniors were easy to pick out, always in big groups of their peers and trying their best to broadcast their apathy for classes in order to, Hux guessed, look impressive in front of the freshmen. And then, dotted among the crowds, were the well-seasoned veterans, the graduate students who looked to have spent their summers day drinking and chain smoking, their clothes haphazardly thrown together and their faces already sapped of their energy. These were Hux's people, and he tried his best to avoid eye contact with any of them, lest they trap him in a dismal conversation about how the summer had been spent and the regret they all felt to be returning to their studies.

He almost managed to make it to the _Business Administration_ building unnoticed, before he was body-checked into some ill placed shrubbery by a towering body.

" _Fucking_ hell," he cursed out.

"Hux," the tall blonde said, her voice low and smooth, "I thought that was you skulking towards the BA."

"Jesus, Phasma, help me out of here," he said after a brief struggle among the bushes. She reached a hand down and pulled him out with grace and ease. This , impossibly, to made Hux angrier. "Next time, a simple hello will suffice."

"But where is the fun in that?" she asked. Having a good few inches on Hux, Lynn Phasma struck an intimidating figure. Her complexion and physique reminded Hux of marble statues carved by great masters. She had broad shoulders and golden hair that, despite its short cut, managed to wave and frame her face. Frankly, she was breath taking, but Hux had already struck out with her at a party two years before, told that she 'only dated men taller than her'. After that, they had fallen into a pattern of sarcastic and blithe interactions ; a standard friendship in Hux's book.

Hux brushed the offending foliage off his black sweater vest and eyed Phasma and her sleeveless blue dress with as much contempt as he could muster. "I see you've still been doing that Crossfit nonsense."

Phasma smiled and flexed a beautifully muscled arm at him. "You know, Hux, you too could have this beautiful of a body if you came to the gym with me."

  
"Hard pass," he said, letting the _I'd rather die_ be implied. "What classes did they drop on you this semester?"

Phasma shuffled through her own heap of papers, and pulled out what looked to be a grocery list scratched in unintelligible script. "They gave me 300 and 485, alongside 100 at 8 am on Mondays and Wednesdays," she said as she squinted at her writing.

Hux winced in sympathy. Business 100, one of the classes he also taught, was bad enough on its own, let alone in the morning after weekends. "Sorry, about that. But, at least they gave you _Ethics_ and _World Business_. Those are almost fun."

Phasma snorted in an undignified manner. "Well, I'll put up with endless 8 A.M.s with half asleep freshmen if it means I don't have to teach _Business and the Arts._ I almost feel bad for you. _Almost_."

Hux shook his head. "It was my time, I suppose."

"Don't sound so ominous, Hux," Phasma said around her crooked smile (a feature that managed to skew her symmetric face into crushingly asymmetric perfection. Christ, it was unfair for someone to be so beautiful; Hux envied it) . "It's just a bunch of asshole _artists_ ready to tell you how corporations are destroying humanity. Sounds like a breeze."

"Thanks for the reminder," Hux said. He looked down to his wristwatch then, dismayed to see his class started in 10 minutes. "Well shit, time to get this semester started."

Phasma gripped his shoulder in a mockery of sympathy, and leveled him a stern look. "Don't eviscerate any freshmen," she said.

Hux batted her hand away. "Fuck you," he replied, but it lacked its usual venom around his smile.

When Hux made it to his class room, on the fourth floor of the building that did not have the decency to have an elevator, he was huffing and puffing in front of the crowd of students blocking the entryway. There had to have been at least 60 of them, polluting the hallway and gawking dumbly at him. Staring at their faces, Hux could already feel the ghost of a headache, like a premonition.

"Move out of the way," he barked, and like the Red Sea, they parted a path to the door. After a moment of struggling with his keys, he opened the door and trudged in, trailed by the students.

"You were two minutes late," one of the students bravely chirped from the crowd just as Hux had reached the podium. In what he felt to be an appropriate response, Hux slammed his briefcase and folders with a loud _smack_ that bounced off the walls of the large hall. The flinch that rippled through the crowd was satisfying.

"If you have a particular problem with that, come to me after class and we'll discuss it _face to face_."

The silence of the room, and the sea of wide eyes was the only response he received. "That's what I thought".

Hux's particular brand of teaching had been described as _austere_ by his evaluators. He approached his large classes much like a general would his troops, doling out the information needed for success and looking down severely on those who could not follow instructions. He did not do fraternization like some of the other professors in the school, and could barely tolerate quips, let alone unnecessary commentary.  It had given him a reputation among underclassmen as frigid and uncompromising, and he was well aware that the seniors in the business program liked to circulate their horror stories to the younger students in order to frighten them.

First week of classes were nicknamed _syllabus week_ for a reason, and Hux was determined to keep the first session short. He passed out the syllabi, droned out the expectations, and outlined the work that was to be done. When he got to the attendance policy, he privately enjoyed the excited chatter that swept through the room when he said no attendance would be taken, just for the immediate groans that followed when he announced that there would be a quiz on the reading at the beginning of each class.

Hux took roll to confirm the roster, wrote down all the names of the people trying to register in the already full class, and booted them all out forty five minutes early. Most of the day trudged along in this fashion, and when he was not in lectures, he was sitting in the tiny office he shared with two others in the _Faculty Office_ building that was across the quad from the _BA,_ writing out his schedule and planning his research for the week. Mondays and Wednesdays were to be heavy days that semester, with hid classes occurring in the late morning and afternoons, and one in the evening. Tuesdays and Thursdays were better, with one mid-morning class that left the rest of the day for him to research. Fridays, blessedly, were free.

When his last class of the day rolled around, the sky was hazy with twilight and the air humming with the dying warmth of late summer.  Hux was on his third cup of coffee and looking forward to the end of the day. He fantasized about going home, plopping in front of the TV, and mindlessly watching Netflix while drinking a whole bottle of wine. He just had to survive _Business And the Arts_ first.

This class was not held in the _BA_ , like the rest of his other classes, but in the _Arts_ building, next to the University library. It was a hike for Hux; he had to cross the vast recreational fields that were used by the Kinesiology department, climb an absurdly huge hill, and pass a second quad to reach his destination. _I'm so out of shape,_ he bitterly thought when he finally arrived to the building, red in the face for the second time that day. Perhaps he would have to take Phasma up on her offer, because breathing heavy and looking like he just ran a mile in front of his students would not do.

While his early classes were filled with what appeared to be a cross section of your typical college students, each one blending into one another with not one standing out in Hux's memory, the ones that waited in the classroom when he arrived were an array of brightly dyed hair and eclectic fashion choices. Hux scanned the room, noting the nose piercings and tattoos on some of them, and tried not to broadcast how ridiculous he found them all. _None of them would ever get hired anywhere looking like that,_ he thought.

"Good evening," he said to the classroom, "I am Brendol Hux, your professor. Please address me as Professor Hux for the duration of the semester. Welcome to _Business and The Arts."_

Blank stares was all the reply he received.

"This class should be for upper division and graduate students in the College of The Arts. If you are not enrolled in the College of the Arts, you will be asked to drop the class," he said as he passed out the syllabi. "The purpose of this class is to impart some practical business knowledge to accompany your artistic endeavors." Hux did his best to ignore the eye rolls that began circulating around the room. "The University's hope is that through what you learn in this class, you will be able to not only be artists, but be able to find monetary success with these skill sets."

That one earned him scoffs. He could see the students looking at each other, the non-verbal _is this guy real?,_ shining like neon above their heads.

Just as he was about to give them a verbal lashing, the door to the classroom swung open in the most obscenely loud manner that it could only be described as dramatic. Hux snapped his attention to the door, as did the rest of class, to the person in the doorway. A frankly _appallingly_ tall man stood there, looking unconcerned at his disruption. Hux examined him with narrow eyes; he was clad in all black, from his beat up shoes and skin tight pants, to his severe V-neck tee that exposed too much chest to be appropriate for an academic setting. Above his face- which made Hux think of Piccaso's disjointed, cubist portraits- sat a messy bun of black curly hair. Hux did not try to stop the scowl that spread across his face. _Artists._

"Can I help you?" he asked, no longer hiding his contempt for the class and the ridiculous human being in his door.

"I'm here for _Business And the Arts_ ," the man replied in a deep voice, bereft of any inflection.

"You're ten minutes late," Hux barked out.

The man's eyebrows furrowed, and his shoulder shrugged infinitesimally. "I hadn't noticed."

Hux's could feel a wash of heated disbelief and irritation surge through him and wash across his skin, raising his hackles and consuming the last of his patience.

"Since you hadn't noticed, perhaps you'd like to get out of my classroom. Or, if you feel so compelled, sit down and pretend to show some level of concern for your academic progress and I _might_ decide not to drop you from the class," Hux said.

The scowl that broke out across the man's previously neutral face was impressive, and Hux privately thought it could have rivaled his own. But Hux was a weathered and tried expert of staring down assholes, and the man broke first under his gaze and stomped towards the back of the room, to the last empty seat. He sat down next to a bright eyed girl with stupid buns in her hair who had excitedly patted the seat next to her; evidently they were acquaintances. Hux made a mental note to watch out for her as well.

"Now, if anyone else wants to drag this out any longer with interruptions, we'll hash through this syllabus so we can all go home," Hux said, trying to return to his previously neutral voice.

He repeated the same process as he had with all his other classes; he read through the syllabus, outlined the class work, tried to ignore the miserable groans when he mentioned two term papers and a group project, and took roll. He went down the list as quickly as possible, jotting down people's requests at pronunciation or alternative names. Hux might have found a majority of his students requests to be nonsensical, but he could respect this matter. Brendol was a mouthful, and he had hated the way his teachers had said his name like the oddity it was. He would not put his students through that.

"Rey Skywalker?" he called out.

"Present!" came the obnoxiously bright reply. He looked up to see an enthusiastic hand waving in the air, attached to the girl with the buns. Her companion in black looked embarrassed by her enthusiasm, if the dusting of pink across his cheeks were any indication.

"Interesting last name," Hux commented as he wrote a check next to her name.

"Thanks! It’s the English version of our family name, which was German originally and pronounced-"

"Fascinating," Hux interrupted in a voice that made clear it was _not_. He moved to the next name on his list. "Ben-

"Kylo," came the deep voice besides the girl.

"Kylo," Hux repeated in disbelief.

The man blinked at him, the scowl creeping back across his features. "Yes. I go by Kylo. Is that a problem, professor?"

Hux swallowed down the voice that wanted to tell _him that name is almost as ridiculous as you_ , and simply said, "No. But _Kylo_ , come see me after class."

He ignored the dark look he felt boring into him, and continued on with roll. Once finished, Hux assigned a one page, informal paper, asking for each student to detail their major, their artistic discipline, what they hoped to accomplish with their art, and how this class could help. Secretly, he looked forward to reading the disdainful replies he anticipated.

"Alright, unless anyone has any pressing questions, that's it for today. See you on Wednesday, 6 o'clock _sharp_. I do not tolerate tardiness," Hux said breezily, and waved his hand in dismissal. He watched his students filing out, mumbling to each other and avoiding his gaze. Hanging at the end of the procession was _Kylo_ , with his shorter companion Rey hanging slightly behind him with a concerned expression on her face.

"Ms. Skywalker," Hux said, "I don't believe I requested your presence."

She looked between Kylo and himself before blurting, "I thought I'd be moral support."

  
Hux cocked an eyebrow as Kylo's face crunched into a unattractive mess of anger and embarrassment.

"Jesus, Rey I can handle it, just go," Kylo muttered.

"Leave us be, Ms. Skywalker, or you'll be the next problem in my book," Hux said in a cold voice. Her survival instincts kicking in, Rey scuttled out the door, abandoning Kylo and Hux in the empty classroom.

"Look, Mr. Solo," Hux started after the terse moment of silence that was left in the wake of Rey's retreat.

"Ren," Kylo huffed out. "I go by Kylo Ren."

Hux was briefly derailed by the ridiculousness of it. " _Kylo Ren_? How'd you come up with that one?"

Kylo Ren, with his horrendously tight clothes and monstrosity of a hair style just glowered down at Hux. "None of your business," he said tartly.

"Ugh, fine, whatever, I don't need to know," Hux said in exasperation. "Look, I do not tolerate insubordination like you displayed earlier tonight."

"Insubordination?" Ren spat out. "You are not my commander."

"No, but I am your professor," Hux pressed on, "and that means I'm owed your most basic amount of respect. If you cannot keep your attitude in check and stop being a distraction, I will drop you from my class. I have the means to. This is a _university_ , which mean you're expected to act like an adult. Understood?"

Kylo crossed his arms over his chest and just glared at Hux for a moment. They stood there, holding each other's gaze, sizing one another up. But Hux won, like he always did, and Kylo shifted his gaze to just the right of Hux's head after a heavy sigh.

"Fine. I will concede," Kylo said, as if basic human decency was some kind of allowance. Hux could feel his right eye begin to twitch. "I have already failed this class once, and the master's program only allows one failure before you are dropped."

"Then you better meet my expectations," Hux said. "Show up on time and turn in your work. If you meet that basic requirement, you'll pass without problems. Show up with an  attitude and it will be a different story. Understand?"

Kylo straightened up, rolling his shoulders back and elongating his spine so that his broad chest was puffed out and he loomed slightly over Hux. "Understood, sir," he said with barely concealed contempt. And with a dramatic flourish of long limbs, he stalked out the door of the classroom, leaving Hux standing alone.

He rolled his eyes, and appealed to the stained drywall above his eyes, asking "Why me?"

The ceiling did not deem to give him a reply, nor any sympathy. Of course Hux had to teach the most annoying class with the most _ridiculous_ student possible.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

The next time _Business And the Arts_ met, Hux had started the day in a markedly better mood. His Tuesday had been restful, with only one class in the morning and the rest of the day divided between writing up consultations and drinking sangria in the evening with Phasma. Some habits die hard, and as was the case for most people who pursued post-graduate degrees, Phasma and Hux had sustained the drinking habits they developed as underclassmen. Only these days, the amount of alcohol Hux had consumed as an undergrad was barely enough to give him a pleasant buzz.

So when Wednesday rolled around, he was well rested from his wine induced coma and actually felt ready to teach. His classes breezed by without incident, and Hux found himself enjoying the day and his interactions with his students. It was early enough in the semester where no one had complaints about grades or work, and Hux's congenial behavior towards his students gave them the bravery to come up to him after class and make their introductions; in an attempt to establish a good precedent for when they needed an extension or favor, he guessed. But Hux indulged it, pleased to at least connect a few names to faces, and learn which of his freshmen were thinking of declaring Business as their major. And here his colleagues thought he was only capable of having scathing exchanges with his students.

Hux strolled across campus at a leisurely pace to his last class of the day. Determined not to show up red faced and covered in a sheen of sweat, Hux had left his office hours a little earlier to give himself plenty of time to make it up to the _Arts_ building, and was able to enjoy the sights while he did. _This place isn't so terrible_ , he thought to himself as he walked beneath the canopy of huge trees who must have been older than the campus itself. Their leaves filtered the golden light of the late evening, casting crisscross patterns of green hues on all that meandered beneath them. The night air was cooler, with a bite of chill from the breeze that rolled off the coast just a few miles away, but the sidewalks that had been baking in the sunshine all day radiated heat and kept everything at a balmy temperature. For a moment, Hux was stricken  by how beautiful it all was; this campus, the city, the turquois and pink hues of the sunset, all like bright threads in the tapestry of his life that had seemed rather dour and dark in the past few years. For the briefest moment, Hux allowed himself to enjoy his surroundings, what he could see and touch.

The feeling did not last very long though. Once Hux had climbed the large hill and made it to the upper quad, his good mood was leeched from him. He had the creeping sense that someone was glaring at the back of his head. The foulness that washed over him made him furrow his eyebrows. Trying for subtly, Hux moved his head around, careening his neck as if he was just admiring the views from all possible angles, and turned to look at the offending party. Walking behind him and trailing by a good thirty paces was _Kylo Ren_ in all his ludicrous glory, with an expression that reminded Hux of the ones toddlers make when they eat lemons. He was in all black again, but had opted for ratty cutoff pants instead of jeans.  His hair was tied off in a ponytail, and he had on a shirt that was far too small for him, with spattering of holes where the fabric had evidently worn down from years of use. _Jesus Christ_ , Hux thought, _who lets him dress himself?_

They made eye contact, and Kylo Ren began to pick up his pace. On his best days, Hux would not consider himself a petty person, but Ren had appeared like some sort of wraith meant to ruin his day. So Hux picked up the pace as well, trying to out walk Ren. If he got to the classroom before Ren did, he would be able to mark Ren down as tardy, and the thought was enough to make him abandon any propriety. He took longer strides, willing his smaller legs to cover more distance, but when he chanced a look back, Ren was gaining on him. By the time he reached the _Arts_ building, he was full on power walking like some kind of suburban wine mom, with Ren right on his heels. A flight of stairs and a hallway was all the stood between Hux and victory, so saying _fuck it_ under his breath, Hux scrambled up the stairs at full speed, taking two steps at a time.

"Shit!" he heard Ren curse behind him, and Hux didn't even try to contain the smirk that broke across his face. When he reached the top of the stairs, Hux began to sprint down the hall. Ren's heavy footsteps followed behind, and his laborous grunts seemed to get closer and closer. By the time Hux reached the classroom door, Ren had a hand on the door frame, his gangly limbs reaching around Hux, trying to get purchase and snake around Hux. But Hux made it through first, stumbling into the classroom with his hair falling wildly across his face, and heaving heavy gasps. He was aware of his students staring at him  with confused faces, but he could not care less.

"Kylo Ren," he wheezed out as the tall man stumbled into the classroom seconds later, "you are late."

Ren let out a frustrated noise that sounded like a cross between a snarl and groan, and threw his huge arms in the air. Hux's face broke out into what Phasma called his _shit eating grin_ , and he watched Ren stalk through the narrow paths between desks to go sit beside Rey. The girl shook her head at Ren, and smacked him hard on the shoulder when he sat down, whispering furiously at him while Ren sulked in his seat.

Hux took a moment to compose himself; he ran his hands through his hair, trying to organize the strands back into the orderly manner he usually styled it in. His sweater vest (tan that day) was suddenly oppressively hot, so he stripped it off and threw it on the small desk that was stationed next to the lectern. Becoming aware of how he must have looked - bright red, with sweat stains on his button down, still breathing heavy and mussed up- he turned a glare towards the class.

"And let that serve as a lesson. I take attendance and punctuality _seriously_ ," he huffed out in his best _professor_ voice. The glances he received were unimpressed, but the class wisely kept their editorial comments to an unintelligible volume.

"Ok, turn in your essays," he said after a heavy sigh.

The students came up and handed their papers to him one by one. For the most part they had all done their assignments. He did receive one piece of notebook paper with a hastily scribbled _I.O.U._ written across it, which he made a display of wadding into a ball and throwing into the trash can across the room. At the end of the group was Skywalker and Ren. Rey turned in her paper, beaming up at Hux. Hux was surprised when she handed him a stapled stack of papers with what looked to have a cover page and _Works Cited_.

"This was supposed to be an _informal_ paper," he said, privately enjoying how her enthusiasm seemed to melt away and her shoulders slumped, deflated. She jutted out her lower lip and shuffled back to her seat.

Hux turned to Ren then, and held out his hand. With the petulant expression still on his face, Ren handed him a crumpled page that looked as if it had been unceremoniously shoved into a backpack, though Hux could not recall him having one on his person when he walked in.

"What is this," Hux said, deadpanned.

Ren's expression brightened slightly at the annoyance that dripped from every syllable. "It's my paper," he said, voice smooth as butter.

"It's a disaster," Hux said.

"You did say it was an _informal_ paper," Ren replied.

Hux could feel his eye twitch coming back. He did not bother to reply, just slammed it down on the stack with the rest of his papers.

"Go back to your seat," he barked out.

Ren sauntered back to his seat, shoulders squared back and a pleased smile on his face, as if he won some sort of victory. Hux decided not to noticed the way him and Rey knocked their fists together with an ease that suggested they were intolerable assholes all the time and frequently celebrated annoying authority figures.

"Ok, you were all supposed to have done the first assigned readings by today," Hux began. A wave of hands sprung into the air. "Yes, I know, all of your text books are _still_ coming in the mail, what a surprising coincidence," he said, and watched as the hands sunk back down, "let's hope they come in by your first quiz so you can pass, because it will be on the first two chapters."

He turned to his briefcase then, shuffling through his papers until he found his dry erase markers, and faced the whiteboard. He wrote on the board in his neat script _Successful Artists._

"Ok," Hux began, shifting into lecture mode, "I want you to tell me artists you think led successful lives."

He turned back to his class, and watched as his students exchanged awkward looks. Hux let the silence drag on for a long moment, waiting for someone to be brave enough to start, and gave them all his best _get on with it_ glare.

"Need I remind you that the syllabus clearly outlines that class participation makes up 15% of your grade?" he asked.

"Matisse," a girl with blue hair blurted out from the front row.

_Fine Arts Major_ , Hux mentally noted to himself as he wrote Matisse's name on the wall.

"Alright, who else?"

"Van Gogh," another called out.

"Jackson Pollock."

"Jawlenksy."

They continued in this fashion, each person calling out a name and Hux writing them without any kind of commentary and privately guessing to himself their individual disciplines, until he had gotten through most of the class and had covered the white board in names.

"Paganini," Rey had called out excitedly when there was a lull in voices. Hux wrote down the name, surprised that this was the first one he was not previously aware of. He was unsure where to categorize her in his mind.

"Anyone else?" he said, finally turning back to the class. He had 29 names written on the board, and there were thirty students in his class. "Last call for participation points."

Ren cleared his throat then, and spoke up. "Beethoven," he suggested in an impassive voice.

Hux crooked an eyebrow at that, and wrote the name down. He was not aware that musicians had to take this class, and wondered if Ren was some kind of composer.

"Alright, that just about does it," Hux said. "So, I asked you to name artists that led successful lives, and you all named very famous artists whose works have endured the test of time. But that does not mean they all led successful _lives_. Out of all these, how many did not live in squalor and were able to enjoy financial success?"

Hux had anticipated from the beginning that this activity might rub a few people the wrong way, but he was not expecting such a visceral response. A third of the room shot their hands up in the air, their faces angry and full of contempt for what he said.

"Wow, ok," he said, throwing his hands up in an a gesture he hoped would be disarming, "I did not mean to offend anyone."

"Are you suggesting an artist's success lies in how much _money_ they make?" one student snarled at him.

"I am suggesting that any person's success lies in their ability to support themselves, whether you're a painter or a mechanic," Hux huffed out. "Legacy is something else. All of these artists have had a lasting legacy and their work is revered, no doubt. But were they successful in supporting themselves or did they live in poverty?"

"Art isn't about wealth," another student called out, "it's about enriching people's lives with beauty, and making people feel something."

Hux rolled his eyes. "I understand the philosophy of art, I do. I am not denying the power art has, or what its purpose is. But you are all required to take this course so you get a dose of reality before you are thrust into the real world. Your art might be amazing, and it may last generations, but what I am concerned with, as is the university, is if you are going to be able to eat and make rent as artists.

Hux turned to the board and began crossing out names. "Some of these artists survived and led comfortable lives. Others, did not," he said, punctuating the statement with a line through _Van Gogh_ and _Rembrandt._

Once he had scribbled through all the names he was sure had died of poor and desolate, he turned back to the class.

"Today we're going to talk about why the artists left up had some semblance of financial secur-

"Uhm Professor!" Rey interrupted, her hand needlessly waving in the air.

"What is it, Ms. Skywalker," he asked.

"You left Paganini up, and he died 'poor and in squalor', as you said," she stated excitedly, like this was some sort of great revelation. Hux sighed and went to cross out the name.

"Who is he anyways?" Hux asked. "I've never heard or seen his art."

"He was a virtuoso violinist, probably the greatest to ever live," she said with a dreamy expression on her face. Hux shifted his gaze momentarily to Ren, who had rolled his eyes to the ceiling at his companion's outburst.

"I asked for artists," Hux said simply, "not musicians."

"Well a musician is an artist," she argued back. "Plus you let Beethoven stay up there, and he's a musician."

"Yes but he _composed_ pieces, not performed them," Hux responded.

"Well that just seems very arbitrary, Professor Hux. And Beethoven was also a very adept pianist before he went deaf, he did a lot of performing in his time. Paganini also wrote pieces, you know, that are still played today, like his _Caprices_. Besides, music majors have to take this class, so the university must think we are just as much artists as people who throw paint at walls and call it _'art'_ , don't you think?"

Hux watched as the last bit of his pleasant day was thrown out the window. He hated being undermined, even if the girl was technically right. He usually never had oversights; _damn it_ , he had spent a good portion of his summer reading up on all the great artists in an attempt to not seem completely inept when it came to this subject. It just never occurred to Hux to consider performing musicians in this scope. The class was called _Business and the_ ** _Arts_** _,_ for crying out loud.

"Your point has been acknowledged," he said, and crossed out Paganini's name. When he faced the class again, Rey sat primly in place with a look of self-satisfaction on her face.

Hux looked to the clock on the wall, and was thankful to find that the activity and conversation that followed had eaten up a good amount of time, leaving only twenty minutes left to class. Usually one to get through as much work as possible, Hux decided he'd had enough of _artists_ (or perhaps more specifically, _musicians_ ) for the day, and decided to just assign the work for the weekend.

 "Alright, your job is to pick one of the remaining artists off the board and tell me why they were able to lead _financially successful_ lives. Three page paper, Chicago format with a bibliography. Try not to make this a history report, I don't need to know their greatest works unless it is pertinent to their financial situation. Make sure that you include in your paper one of the categories listed in the text book of how artists traditionally earned income that applies to whoever you picked. Class dismissed."

Hux busied himself with packing up, pointedly ignoring any students who lingered by in hopes that they would get the idea and _fuck off_ , but when he finally finished and looked up from this briefcase, Kylo Ren was standing across from him, looming tall with the few inches he had on Hux.  
"What?" Hux snapped.

"Look, sorry about Rey," he said in a rush of words. "She gets overexcited."

"I can tell," Hux replied. "Is she always so damn earnest?"

Ren nodded his head, and his lips twisted in a way that made Hux idly wonder if that was what his smile looked like. It looked unpracticed and awkwardly bloomed from his patched together face. "Usually, yeah. It can be annoying. But don't punish her with bad grades just because she's enthusiastic."

"Believe it or not, I don't punish students with bad grades if they annoy me," Hux said. "I am not that petty of a person."

"Oh, _of course_ you're not petty," Ren replied in a sarcastic manner, probably thinking in that moment as Hux did of their race to class.

"I'm going to ignore the implications behind your tone. You don't have to worry about Rey's grade from me. Just because I find you two insufferable doesn't mean I'll let it influence my grading. Just do the work and you'll both be fine."

"Good," Ren huffed out, and turned to walk out the door.

"Oh, and Ren?" Hux called to his back. Ren looked over his shoulder to Hux. "Try to make an effort to turn in a paper that isn't in shambles. This one is a _formal paper_ , after all."

Ren's face returned to _that_ look, his brows setting in determination over his dark eyes, and his mouth gnarling into a smile, and Hux knew this infuriating man would find a way to his skew instructions. "Sure thing, _Prof._ See you on Monday."

"See you on Monday," he replied as Ren left the room, and then mumbled under his breath, "you ass."

 


	3. Chapter 3

A week had passed without incident, when Kylo Ren decided to pay Hux a visit during his office hours.

Hux hardly ever had students come in during his university mandated office hours this early in the semester. Usually they would begin trickling in, one by one, when his midterms were approaching, and then suddenly flood his office towards the end of the semester with pleas for extra credit and mercy. With that in mind, Hux had decided to write out a chunk of his dissertation during his office hours that day, having not banked on anyone coming by, let alone one of his _Business and the Arts_ students.

He was just settling into the groove of writing when a heavy knock broke him from his concentration. Hux looked up from his work to see Kylo Ren standing in his door frame with a ghastly expression on his face and a fistful of papers clenched in his hand. He decided on a diplomatic approach and did not let out the annoyed sigh that was his usual reaction when dealing with petulant children.

"Mr. Ren, can I help you?" Hux asked. Kylo fidgeted in the entrance, looking like an animal torn between _flight or fight_ , his eyes darting around Hux's office. Hux abandoned his work all together, pushing his laptop off to the side of his desk and folding his arms across his chest in the universal symbol of _get on with it._

In lieu of an answer, Kylo folded himself into one of Hux's chairs, his limbs far too long to comfortably fit. He was in all black like before, but his hair was in a kind of quasi braid on the top of his head that tied off into a pony tail. It was possibly the weirdest hairstyle Ren had sported yet, and it took the power of out of the glare he was giving Hux. For the life of him, Hux could not imagine anyone taking Kylo Ren seriously if he was always looking like a cross between a mess and a performance art piece.

After a moment longer of silence, in which Hux just stared at Ren in all his preposterousness, Ren tossed the wad of paper onto Hux's desk.

"What is this?" Ren asked him, his inflection dipping low.

Hux crooked an eyebrow at him. "Why, that looks to be a bunch of papers that have been trampled over," was his tart reply.

Kylo Ren rolled his eyes. "No, it's my essay."

"Well look at that," Hux said, "you figured it out! I can't imagine why you needed to ask me when you already knew."

The color that broke out in angry red splotches across Ren's face was simply divine. Hux enjoyed the way it colored down his neck, feathering over his collar bone and tinging his huge ears pink. It was just too easy to get a rise out of Ren, Hux was coming to appreciate.

"Why does it have a C on it?" Kylo asked, his frustration starting to spark out of him like a live wire.

Hux could not resist prodding the man further. "I believe it's your grade."

Kylo dropped his head back in the style of a heroine from a Victorian novel, all drama and soft angles, while snorting out an angry breath through his nostrils like some kind of aggravated horse, before rearing his head back up and glaring at Hux. "Oh my God," he exhaled around a grunt, "look I know it's a C and I know it's my essay. I just want to know _why_ I got a C on my essay!"

Hux leaned back in his chair and pressed his fingertips together in a villainous fashion. "Well, if you had been clearer from the beginning, we could have avoided all this confusion."

Hux beamed at the scowl on Ren's face and picked up the paper. He unfolded the crumpled mess and smoothed it down as best he could.

"Ah, ok yes, the informal paper. Look, Mr. Ren, your grade is what it is because you didn’t answer all the questions I had asked. I wanted to know your particular artistic discipline, but your paper failed to mention what exactly you do. You just put music as your major."

Ren blinked at him, as if not comprehending Hux' point. "So?"

It was Hux's turn to be irritated. "So, what exactly do you do as a music major? Do you play an instrument?"

"Yes," Kylo said.

"Ok, but which one?" Hux pushed.

Kylo suddenly looked completely uninterested in the conversation, his eyes dropping to examine his fingernails (which were painted a dark black, _Christ_ ). "Does it much matter?"

Hux was a little surprised by Ren's sudden reserved change in attitude. From their limited interaction, he had begun to expect a sort of prideful bearing from Kylo Ren, like he was a dour peacock all done up in black. The man took up space as if it all belonged to him. His hulking form never quite seemed to fit within the confines of the awkward chairs that caged students in with their swing down desktops, nor did he fit within Hux's small office space that was lined on every wall with his colleagues' books and boxes of past papers. Kylo, with his ridiculous outfits and strange hair styles, and the way he stomped and creeped about rather than just walking and existing like a _normal human being_ seemed like a call for attention. _Look at me,_ Kylo radiated, _I think I'm hot shit._

"Look, it entirely matters. One of the projects you have to do is construct a viable business plan. We'll be discussing how to do things like advertisement, business management, those sort of things, but you as the student will tailor it specifically to your craft," Hux explained. He could feel his countenance softening slightly when he said, "confidence in your work aside, you need to be forthright with what you actually _do._ "

Ren sighed and shifted his head from side to side, his eyes cast on the floor and his brow knit together in thought. Hux watched him, allowing him for the moment to work through whatever hurtles he was leaping in his mind. Hux had been there once, in a time before success where he was sure that telling people what he did would invite speculation into all his failures; time had eventually come to fulfill that persistent fear, after all.

Finally, Ren's eyes focused on a spot right above Hux's head, and he said through gritted teeth, "I play the piano."

"I would have guessed violin," Hux said. He left out the editorial _because you walk around like the show is all about you_ comment.

Ren scowled at that, like the personal insult it was. "Rey's the violinist. She's better suited for it."

Hux smirked. "Is it because she is better at collaborating with others?" he asked, not resisting a light jab.

Kylo leveled him an unimpressed look, and then held up his ridiculously large hands in display. "No, it's because I can reach a 13th on the piano."

Hux whistled out an impressed sound, as if he knew what the hell that meant. "I assume you would just smother a violin?"

"Right," Kylo smiled in his crooked, twisted way, visibly pleased with Hux's observation.

"Ok, good, you're a pianist. You need to be forthright with that information from here on out," Hux said.

"Can I get my grade changed on the essay at all?" Kylo asked in earnest.

Hux scoffed at that. "Not as it is, you'd have to rewrite the thing."

Hux did not mean it as an invitation, of course, he usually never allowed students to redo shoddy, half-assed work, but Kylo's face brightened.   "Great, when do you need it by?" he asked.

Staring at Kylo in incomprehension of his lack of perception, Hux only managed out an, "excuse me?" before Kylo materialized a laptop from a ratty backpack.

"Wait, I did not agree to you redoing your paper," Hux said. "I never let anyone redo anything."

Kylo scowled at him as he began typing on the computer. It was a small laptop that looked even tinier seated on Kylo's lap. It could barely contain his huge hands, and Hux was momentarily floored by his ability to even type on the thing.

"You told me I could rewrite it," Kylo said.

"No, I said you would _have_ to rewrite it if you wanted a better grade. It wasn't an offer, just an observation of how poor the paper was," Hux said.

"Ok," Kylo said, rolling his eyes as if Hux was somehow the absurd one in the situation. "That's really nitpicking there, prof."

Hux was under-caffeniated and not in the mood to argue. Usually students withered under his stern stare, and very rarely did they ever try to challenge him. None of them succeeded when they did. Hux had learned very early on in life how to be firm and tactful, and when to pick his battles. He knew how to stand his ground and get what he wanted, and while these traits had once served him well when he was working in the business world, they carried over nicely to teaching. However, Hux knew when to call it quits, and knew when fighting would be useless. Kylo Ren was obstinate and bothersome, and Hux knew by instinct that the younger man would talk circles around him until he was exasperated.

Pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes in frustration, Hux seceded. "Fine, but do not tell anyone. I don't usually let students run amok over me, but you're persistent. Just have it done before class."

When he opened his eyes, Kylo Ren had the self satisfied look of a fat cat after a day of hunting mice. Hux watched him for a moment, observing  way the man's broad shoulders hunched in, and how his neck craned forward to peer down at the screen, and thought, not for the first time, that he looked like a patched together painting. Not poorly composed out of inexperience, but crafted by a great artist who had mastered the conventional aspects of fine art, and had set them aside to put something  together that no one else ever had.

Hux blinked momentarily, breaking his trance, and then shook the thoughts away. Cleared of whatever the hell that had been, he realized Kylo was typing his paper in his office.

"Uh, Mr. Ren," Hux said after clearing his throat. Kylo looked up from the screen, face placid and in waiting for one of his more _animated_ expressions. "I would rather you go write your paper in the library. I have work to finish before class starts."

Kylo jutted a lip out in what looked suspiciously close to a pout, his thick brows crashing down over his eyes. "But the library is all the way across campus," he protested.

Hux nodded. "Which is right next to the building we hold classes in," he said.

Kylo thought it over for a second, and then shook his head. "It would eat up too much time to go over there and then type it. I'll just finish it here," he replied, like Hux had merely been making a suggestion.

"You'll have to print your paper there," Hux said, trying to will some social awareness into Ren.

Kylo looked around the room and settled his gaze of the printer that had been residing in Hux's office long before he had ever worked at the university. The thing was a behemoth. "I'll just print it here."

Hux rolled his eyes, gave up for the second time that day, and just muttered a "good luck," under his breath.

For a little while it was awkward. Hux tried writing, but found himself peering over his laptop every minute or so to look at Ren. The younger man sat across from him looking more focused than the paper probably warranted. Ren would sometimes pause from his typing and scan his eyes over what he read while he absentmindedly dragged his thumb over his bottom lip. Hux was transfixed by the action. _How can someone be so ridiculous_ , he wondered over and over.

Eventually though Hux was able to ignore the man sitting across from him and even managed to accomplish some modicum of work. In the midst of revising a paragraph, and fifteen minutes before he would have to leave and trek up to upper campus, he was interrupted _again_. Cutting through the comfortable silence that had fell over his office was the crisp sound of someone clearing their throats. Hux looked up from his work to see Phasma standing there, her facial expression mild and professional but her left eyebrow delicately cocked up in a way that Hux had seen her shoot at him when he tried to pick up people at parties. Hux stared up at her with his capital-p _Professional_ face, but he was sure his eyes were bugged out in horror.

"Hux," she said primly, "who do we have here."

Kylo had yet to look up from his laptop, but before Hux could reply, the  lanky man lifted a hand in the air, extended back towards the door. "I'm Kylo Ren, nice to meet you," he said, continuing his typing with his other hand.

"Lynn Phasma," she replied, and shook his hand. "Are you a friend of Hux's?" she asked. It was a loaded question; Phasma knew all of Hux's friends. If their social groups had been drawn as a Venn Diagram, it would be one circle. What she was really asking was _are you someone Hux is fucking?_ Hux could feel himself going red all over.

"No, I'm in his _Business and the Arts_ class," Ren said, completely unaware of any subtext.

Phasma looked at Hux, her blue eyes sparkling devilishly like she just discovered some sort of foul secret.

"He came for advice on his paper," Hux said. Translation: _it is absolutely not what you are thinking._

"And Professor Hux let you stay during his office hours to write it, how kind of him," Phasma said blandly. _Looks awfully incriminating to me,_ were her unspoken words.

"It's no bother at all," Hux said. _Fuck off_. Phasma graced him with an indulgent smile, like she did not believe him, and continued on.

  
"Well I just dropped in to check on tonight," she said breezily.

Hux was suddenly not in the mood to go out with Phasma that night. "I'm not sure if I'll make it," he said.

"Oh no, you are going," Phasma said, her consonants hardening back to their military schooling days, "we had this planned for a week. You are not backing out on us."

Hux closed his laptop with a sharp snap, and heaved a sigh out in frustration. "Christ, alright, I'll be there."

"Good," Phasma said. "8 o'clock at the wine bar on 5th street."

Hux shook his head. "Yes I know where it is, thank you for that."

Phasma looked at him meaningfully and then glanced down at Ren before saying, "well good. Enjoy class, boys." And with that, she gracefully strolled out of his office.

Hux dipped his head into his hands, wishing he had a legitimate excuse not to go out, if only to avoid the teasing he would have to endure at Phasma's hands. When he finally looked up, Ren was staring at him, his dark eyes shining with curiosity. 

"Who's she," he asked him in a suspiciously smooth voice.

"She's my colleague," he said, spitting out the words as if they were a vile thing.

Ren tilted his head while his mouth twitched into a smirk. "You seemed too chummy to be colleagues."

Hux sighed for the umpteenth time today, wondering why everyone in his life had to be so damn _invasive._

"Phasma is an old friend, and we happen to work together, that's all," Hux said. "She is also very adamant about us keeping plans. I'm afraid of the bodily harm she'll inflict on me if I bail on tonight."

Ren's eyebrows shot up alarmingly close to his hairline, and a genuine look of concern spread across his face.

"That was a joke," Hux said.

"Oh," Ren awkwardly replied, "yeah, I knew that."

Hux decided in that moment that he'd had enough of _everything_ for the day and gathered up his things.

"My advice is to run up to the library and print out your paper. I want to mainline some espresso before class and don't feel like leaving you unsupervised in my office."

Ren scrambled to follow suit, shoving his laptop in his backpack and bolting up as soon as Hux reached the door. It would have been too much of a kindness for Ren to get the hint and walk in another direction, so the two of them shuffled out of the building side by side in a painfully awkward silence. When Hux chanced a glance at Ren, his eyes were glued to the floor. He looked sick, and the pink flush was back again in furious blotches.

"So," Ren began, still staring fastidiously at the ground, "do you guys usually go to the wine bar on 5th."

Hux shrugged his shoulders. "It's in our rotation," he said. "They have a good happy hour on Wednesday nights, and it's in walking distance from the neighborhood I live in."

"Cool," Ren said.

"Very cool," Hux sarcastically echoed. "I just wish I didn't have to go."

When they reached the campus coffee shop, they slowed their pace. Hux turned to Ren and looked up at him. His face looked strained with stress, and Hux wondered if he was worried about his paper.

"Don't worry," he said, trying for encouraging but falling short, "with that added information your paper should at least be boosted to a B."

Ren met his eyes and nodded. "Ok," he said.

"Don't stress so hard," Hux said, but it sounded wrong coming from him. "You won't fail."

Ren smiled and looked somewhat relieved. "Ok prof, go and get your coffee. See you in class."

And with a turn of his long legs, Ren shuffled off toward the upper quad, and Hux let his thoughts turn away from the mess of limbs and black clothes to brighter thoughts of coffee.

 

* * *

 

 

After his classes, Hux had gone back to his apartment with the intent of showering and getting ready to go out. He really had meant to keep his plans with Phasma that night, but the moment he hit the couch, he crashed into an undignified heap and slept hard, exhausted from the day. When he woke up at 1 am to his bright apartment lights and a pain in his neck, he had 4 missed calls and 10 texts, all from Phasma. He cursed and called her, hoping he could earn her forgiveness and live to see another day.

"Hux," she said, her voice light with liquor and distorted by background noise, "nice of you to ring."

"Phasma, I am so sorry," he said, hoping to pour every bit of sincerity he had into his apology, "I came home and fell asleep seconds after crossing the threshold."

"I figured as much," she said, "when you actually try to get out of plans you make up stupid excuses. I figured it was either sleep or death that kept you in tonight."

"I'm still alive," he mumbled, "thanks." Hux drew himself away from the couch and walked to his bed, ready to go back to sleep the moment Phasma hung up on him.

"You're welcome," she said, "though you missed your friend."

"What friend," he yawned.

"The one with the messy hair and the ashy complexion," she explained. "He's was in your office today. What was his name, Kyle Ron or something?"

Hux paused at the foot of his bed, his face scrunching up in confusing. "Kylo Ren?"

"That's the one," Phasma slurred. "He showed up with some dreamy guy, way too good looking for him if we're being honest. I ran into him and he asked after you."

"Huh," Hux said as he scrubbed a hand over his face, "that's weird."

"Too weird to be a coincidence, I think," Phasma said suggestively. "I think he was looking for you."

Hux climbed into his bed, not bothering to strip his clothes off. "I doubt it," he murmured into the phone. He sleepily considered Ren, and wondered at who is companion was. Hux had thought that maybe Rey was Ren's girlfriend, but perhaps his interests lied elsewhere.

"He looked very put out when I told him you weren't out tonight," Phasma insisted.

"Ha, Kylo Ren always looks put out. He's like Sisyphus, but instead of pushing a rock, he's trapped mid tantrum for eternity."

"Whatever, Hux, you know I read people well," Phasma said. "And I can tell when a student is trying to get a leg over their teacher."

"Gross," Hux sighed. "That would be like fucking a pet."

"I'm not saying you should have sex with him," she countered. "That'd get you fired."

"Duly noted," Hux said around another yawn. "If you're done gossiping, I'd like to get some sleep."

"Sweet dreams," Phasma sang in her crystalline voice, low and clear.

"Text me when you get home," was Hux's reply. He ended the call and immediately tumbled into a deep sleep.

His dreams that night were odd things, spectral images of colors and figures. Amid the frenzy of images that blurred in and out of Hux's mind was Kylo Ren, hair wild and face beatifically split with his strange smile, radiating colors like a prism alight in the sun. He was seated at a piano and pounding out atonal notes whose dissonances seeped into every corner. They overwhelmed Hux, and he wondered at the power of those hands, until the chords became too loud and repetitive-

Hux was jolted from his sleep by the shrill call of his alarm, and the dream immediately fled from his conscious. He could not for his life recall it, but the feeling of it stayed with Hux throughout the rest of his day.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kind comments and encouragements so far. I appreciate all of your time in reading this!


	4. Chapter 4

 

Life continued on, as it always does when one is languishing in university. Before Hux had crawled back to academia with his tail between his legs, life had passed in disjointed fragments of significant moments strewn about stretches of monotony. Hux had been good at his work, always striving towards the next goal, and allowing it's arrival to outshine the blight of anticipation that had proceeded it. But teaching offered no such respite, and the completion of his dissertation was so far off that he took very little comfort in his progress. Day in and day out there were papers to grade, lectures to drone out to classrooms full of students who stared at him with glossy eyes and slack jawed faces, absorbing nothing nor caring, and the few consultations from skittish business owners that were sometimes interesting but mostly a different flavor of redundant. Hux felt as if his life was dragging along at an alarming rate.

The semester had been steadily passing by in a blur until Hux finally caught the bug that had been circulating through the university. Undergraduates were disgusting human beings; Hux could remember his days of being holed up in the dorms, pouring _Purell_ over every surface and warding off human contact with vicious comments aimed at anyone who had even the beginnings of a sniffling nose. Hux tried his best to keep healthy, but every Fall it would hit him like a proverbial ton of bricks. His poor sleep schedule and stress, coupled with being trapped in rooms full of students who did not have the human decency to just stay the hell away from him when they were ill, always guaranteed that he would be flat on his back by mid semester.

This year it seemed his body had decided to give out on him the day he had scheduled a majority of his classes' first tests. Hux woke that morning to his head radiating pain as if it was trying to tear itself in half. With his throat was on fire and his nose was leaking an undignified amount of snot, Hux could not find the energy to do much more than groan in frustration. His limbs were deadweight, and as he languished in bed, Hux thought momentarily of sending out an email and canceling all his classes for the day so he could die in peace without any witnesses. But the thought of his students' relief and the extra days they could study with was unacceptable. None of them had spared Hux their sickness, and Hux would be damned if those slackers were given mercy. So with determination to see that his students were just as miserable as him, Hux swung his legs over the edge of his bed and got on with it.

The days were just starting to get cooler in late September, with summer sluggishly dying out and fall bleeding at the edges. The sky was hung with a layer of grey billowing clouds, high in the atmosphere as a dry front clawed low and kept the rain at bay. It was not cool enough to warrant much beyond a jacket, but Hux was chilled to the bone and shaking. He sorted through his closet and found the thickest sweater he had that could pass for professional, and pulled it over a plain undershirt. It was a hideous oatmeal color that made Hux look paler than he already was, but after one look in the mirror at his clammy face, Hux decided his complexion was lost cause to begin with. Around his neck he wrapped a heavy red scarf so that his scowl and scarlet nose would be hidden away. Hux did not try to wrangle his copper hair into the slick style he usually wore it and let it fall wildly about his head and into his eyes.

When he arrived to his classes, his students faces went from anxious to alarmed when they took in Hux and all his disheveled glory. In each class he would collapse in his chair, and through the thick wool of his scarf would bark out the test instructions and make it very clear that cheating would end in a failure and expulsion from the class. "I can see everything," he croaked, his throat thick with congestion. However, when the tests would begin, he would close his eyes and hope fervently that his wayward fringe would obscure them enough that his students would not notice. Every time a student would come to turn in their tests, he grunted at them in a base form of acknowledgement.

After his first three classes he stumbled across campus to his office, the stack of tests weighing him down. It was a feat that he managed to make it to his office without collapsing into a pile among the flocks of undergraduates; if he had, he was sure they would leave him to die as retribution for his unyielding rule and determined lack of compassion. He would not blame them if they did. His office was blessedly empty and dark when he made it up, and Hux discarded the blasted tests to the ground in a heap and buckled into his office chair.

Hux did not bother with trying to accomplish his usual work during his office hours, opting instead to lay his head in misery on his desk. The students and faculty who would pass by his door were smart enough to steer clear of him. At least, most of them were. Life was not on Hux's side though, and it apparently saw it unfit for him to have even a brief moment of to wallow; halfway through his office hours, Kylo Ren strode into his office.

"Prof, in the study guide you outlined-" was all that man managed to get out before Hux interrupted him with a wet cough and a mumbled "Jesus, why today?"

Hux had not heard much from Kylo Ren since his last visit to his office hours. When he bothered coming to classes,  he would sit in the back with Rey and barely participate in class discussion or activities. Hux had noticed and been quietly marking down his participation points. He wondered if something had happened to the man to make him suddenly tolerable, or if he was prone to cyclical phases of introversion like many creative persons were. Apparently Ren had decided to return to his obnoxious predilections.

"Professor," he tried again after a terse moment of silence that Hux spent breathing between his arms in short breaths, "are you ok?" _He sounds concerned_ , Hux thought through the haze of his headache.

Hux kept his head down and glared at the grain of his plywood desk. It was becoming uncomfortably humid in the pocket his face occupied, his breath swirling back in his face with every shaky exhale.  "Use your observational skills," he rasped out, "do I _look_ ok?"

Kylo Ren did not reply, to Hux's irritation. Dragging his face away from his arms to the cool air of his office, he looked up to his student. Ren's body was half way out the door, one of his large hands gripped on the frame, the image of man not sure if he was welcome or not. He looked worried, his concern drawing his brow low and stiffening his plush lips into a severe line.

"You're sick," Ren stated.

Hux tried to tap into his well of sarcasm, but found it had run dry. He simply nodded at the man and blithely grumbled, "Correct."

Ren nodded to himself and continued staring, roving his dark eyes over Hux's hunched shoulders and mussed hair, as if taking inventory of Hux's disarray and filing it away for future use. He made a low noise in the back of his throat, the kind of considering grunt an animal would make when assessing a threat. It was guttural in nature, a low sweeping diphthong that sounded atonal and melodious. Hux shivered as it scraped against his ears and resonated against his fever lit nerves. He was oversensitive in his sickness and every shift of Ren's massive frame that cut a shadow across the room was blinding.

"Right," Ren said after his quiet deliberations, "you stay right there."

"What?" Hux asked dumbly.

"I'll be right back," was Ren's reply before he swept out of Hux's office.

Hux tried to be alarmed at his sudden departure but could not find the spirit in him to care much about anything. He idly wondered if he was going to fetch the dean and get him dismissed for the day. Ren came off as opportunistic and Hux was convinced that the man had not bothered studying until a few hours ago. He was sure that he would get Hux sent away to save his hide. It's what Hux would have done if he had been an incompetent student with no sense of responsibility. With resignation towards his fate, Hux laid his head back down on the desk and let his eyes slide close.

Hux had drifted into a light sleep by the time Kylo returned and jolted him away with a gentle hand to the shoulder and a muttered, "Prof, wake up."

"I'm awake," Hux moaned through his gummy mouth. He opened his eyes to a pool of snot and spit, and tried subtly to wipe it away with his sweater sleeves as he raised his head. Hux stared blearily up at Ren through sleep crusted eyes. Ren towered over him, frowning slightly and looking at him with shadowed eyes. He looked like Death finally come. Hux drew his eyes down his long body, shrouded in black like always, to find him holding a plastic bag from the university convenience store in one hand, and a Styrofoam coffee cup in the other.

"I got you tea," Ren said through choppy, over-enunciated syllables.

Through the fog of sickness Hux found that he was horrified.

"Ren, Christ, you didn't have to do that," he said.

Ren shrugged, his shoulders pulling high together before slouching down. It looked practiced and tensed, not the dismissal that Ren was going for. "I also bought cough drops and Tylenol."

Ren set the tea in front of Hux; it's steam wafted temptingly in the air, billowing in seductive ribbons. Hux eyed it, trying to resist it's siren call.

"I don't usually accept gifts from students," Hux said.

Ren sat down in the chair across from Hux and leveled him an exasperated look. "It's not like I'm giving you a bribe. You look like shit. When someone looks like shit you get them tea and medicine," Ren said. His words wafted out in uneven speeds, the stretching and rushing coloring his words with a hue of annoyance. Hux had trouble following the line of reasoning when the timbre twisted in such a way.

"I do not look like shit," Hux said defensively.

"Yes," Ren said, deadpanned now, "yes you do."

Hux had a choice number of words to say to _that_ ; he could have lit into Ren about his appalling outfits and silly hairstyles. Ren simply stared at him, chin held high and eyes narrowed, daring Hux to argue. Hux rarely accepted favors from people he liked, let alone people he was professionally involved with, and _never_ students. It set a bad precedent, an expectation that Hux would have to return the gesture in the future. Students had tried it before on him, dropping by his office with tempting pastries to cloy him for extra points and extensions. As he stared at Ren, Hux wondered if the man was being manipulative, preying on him in a moment of weakness in order to further some kind of agenda. But when he shifted his eyes between Ren and the steaming cup of tea, all Hux could see was begrudging sympathy from one loner to another.

"What kind of tea is it," Hux asked.

He tried to ignore the small smile that broke across Ren's face, jagged and victorious. "Black tea," he said smugly.

"Ugh, it will do," Hux said before inhaling the scorching beverage.

"You're welcome," Ren said in a sing-song voice.

"Yeah, yeah thanks," Hux said around the scalding tea. "Though Earl Grey is much more preferable."

Ren tilted his head to the side in a contemplative gesture, before mumbling, "Noted."

 They sat in silence, Hux slurping at his drink and trying to ignore the intense way Ren stared at him, like he was trying to unravel all of Hux's bristles to get a closer look, before Hux had the wherewithal to glance at his office clock. He let out a string of expletives at the sudden realization that class started in ten minutes.

“Shit, we're late,” Hux said. He tried to stand up, but the sudden motion made the room spin and his knees buckle. He steadied his hands on his desk and swayed. Ren jolted up and crossed the small space to Hux. Ren gripped his arm and grounded him as Hux cursed in frustration. His hands were heavy through the fabric of Hux’s sweater, and the weight of his grip sent shivers of his chilled skin.

“Slow down,” Ren said, his voice lowering to a more soothing vowels. “There’s no rush.”

“It’s a fifteen minute walk across campus,” Hux huffed out, “and it’ll take me twenty in this state.”

“So you’ll be late,” Ren shrugged.

“I’m never late,” Hux told him.

"Well you're going to be today," Ren said sourly. He let his grip ease up on Hux's arms, going from a vice to a gentler touch. "I'll carry your bags, just try not to fall over on the way. I don't feel like carrying you."

If Hux had been in full control of all his faculties, his wits not dampened with the cotton like padding of congestion and illness, he may have read into Ren's kindness and concern, have worried at how his action did not align with the Kylo Ren who had stormed into his office and disrespected him, openly defied him in front of his classmates. Hux had dealt with students before that idealized him, freshmen boys and girls who would look at him beneath thick lashes and smile too widely at his dry humor. He could usually see a student crush from miles away, and they all started the same. Idle office hour visits that would meander away from classroom subjects and wander into personal territory. Sometimes they would bring him coffee and treats, or mention an interesting article they had read that reminded them of him (usually he had already read it months before). Hux was not inclined to ruin a second career, and would nip those affections in the bud with cutting comments and cold stares.

As he looked up at Ren though, his long arms carrying all his materials with ease, and his expression preoccupied and rather grumpy looking, Hux could not tell if Kylo was helping him out of some kind of misplaced responsibility, or there was something more lying beneath. Whenever they interacted, Ren never offered any sort of flattering words, never graced him with charming looks or wide eyed stares. He was an awkward mess of long limbs and terrible fashion choices, and whenever they would interact, Ren would lash out like a child teetering on the edge of a tantrum. He was the last kind of person Hux would be tempted towards, even if Ren was not his student; they were polar opposites. Hux could not imagine Ren's predilections for dramatics and nonconformity would ever accommodate Hux's order and organization, his rigid approach to life and work.

Ren glanced down at Hux from the corner of his eyes, and raised one of his brows when he caught Hux's gaze. "You ok there, Prof? You like you're about to hurl."

Hux shook himself from his thoughts and pointedly glared at the ground. "I hate it when people call me Prof."

Ren smiled at him, vicious and toothy, like an animal cornering prey. "Is that so?"

"Yes," Hux said, muffled while he scrubbed his sleeves over his irritated nose, "on the disrespect continuum, it's one notch above calling me by my first name. Just call me professor, unless the extra syllables are too much for you to handle."

Ren did not respond to Hux's baiting, just smiled and strode forward on his large legs, leaving Hux to shuffle slowly behind. "Prof it is then."

_No one who wants to sleep with their teacher would ever infuriate them this much_ , Hux would tell himself days later when reexamining the moment and assuring himself he did not make a glaring oversight in accepting Ren's help. When they reached his classroom eventually, Hux worse for wear and Ren looking like he had not even broken a sweat, Ren stopped them just outside the door, staring at Hux with a pleased smirk and a challenge in his eyes.

"Here you go, _Prof,_ " he said, his emphasis on the terrible name not at all subtle and grating on Hux's already frayed nerves. He handed the pile of tests and his briefcase to Hux, and discarded his empty styrofoam cup in a sad looking trash can. "We can't let anyone in there thinking you needed help."

Hux scowled and tried straightening up, though his body creaked and popped in protestation. "Ren, has anyone ever told you how _annoying_ you can be?"

Ren nodded his head, his high bun bobbing precipitously where it was perched. He looked _pleased_ by Hux's hastily thrown jab. "I guess that's as much of a thank you as I'll be getting."

Hux watched Ren walk into the classroom, his shoulders held high in accomplishment. He lingered in the hallway momentarily, breathing heavily through the congealed sickness in his chest, and tried rubbing away the snot and bemused smile from his face before entering the classroom. Hux felt marginally better from the tea, and the morose faces of his students gave him enough spirit to power through the ten minutes it took to pass out tests and dole out instructions. When he was seated at the desk, he scanned the room and looked for signs of cheating while he idly unwrapped some cough drops. As his eyes settled on Ren, seated in the very back in his usual place besides Rey, he met eyes with the young man as he popped one of the lozenges in his mouth. Ren smiled at him and tilted his head in a gesture that said Hux read as _look who decided to stop being stubborn._ Hux's response was a gentle tap on his desk, his two fingers indicating for Ren to _get back to work,_ but he could not shake the small smirk from his face.

The rest of the class passed uneventfully and ended earlier than usual. Either everyone in Hux's class were very keen and efficient test takers, or they all had bombed in a humiliating spectacle. Hux did not care either way, and was happy that the day had finally ended when all the tests were turned in and his classroom devoid of any offending lifeforms. He sat in the stiff chair for a moment and felt the last of his strength dwindle away. _I'm canceling class tomorrow,_ Hux thought sourly, _and sleeping until Monday morning._

Hux sluggishly collected all his tests, put them back in their proper manila folder, and began the excruciating tread back to his car. He made it down the hallway and the flight of stairs before he ran into Ren at the bottom,  leaning against the railing in what Hux guessed he intended to be a nonchalant posture but just looked strained in all its awkward angles. Ren's hips were too high to relax against the banister, and he looked like a soggy paper doll, all folded in and drooping on itself.

"Hand me your stuff," Ren said, his voice back to its usual sourness.

"I'm perfectly capable of making it to the car," Hux huffed out. "I'm not an invalid."

"Could have fooled me," Ren said, and held out his hands in expectations.

"I don't need your help," Hux said stubbornly.

"Look, I need to pass this class _this_ semester, and I'm pretty sure if you die they'll cancel the course and make us all retake it. I don't have time for that," Ren said.

Hux could feel a new layer of heat wash over his cheeks, and his ears tinging red in embarrassment.

Ren shifted from his awkward stance and stepped in front of the bottom steps, blocking Hux's escape. Hux stood two steps above him, and the difference brought the two to equal eyelevel for once. Hux glared into Ren's eyes, glinting in the harsh overhead lighting that bathed everything in a ghastly white glow. They stood at an impasse, until Hux had the creeping sense that if he did not comply, Ren would forcibly take his things from him. With a heavy sigh, one part exasperation and the rest soul wrenching exhaustion from the day, the semester, _his life,_ Hux handed over his heavy pile of crap.

Ren nodded and strode off, forcing Hux to scurry after him with imbalanced steps.

"What parking lot are you parked at?" Ren asked.

Hux quietly thanked himself for parking at the nearest lot to the arts building this morning. It had meant he would have to walk further to his first classes, but it at least made his last walk of the day a short one. "I'm in lot 3."

The two of them walked in brisk silence, Hux not caring for the tension that seemed to be there. If Ren wanted to be an unbearable pest, he could squirm in Hux's silence. It was a trick he picked up from his father; a lack of acknowledgment could be a worse form of punishment than a lashing (though Hux had endured those as well). Besides, he was feeling to terrible to entertain any conversation.

When they arrived to the parking lot, Hux led them over to his nondescript grey sedan. Hux looked up to Ren, who clearly was unimpressed with his choice in cars. "Not what you were expecting?" Hux said defiantly.

Ren nodded, his eyes shifting between Hux and his boring car. "I thought you would have driven something flashier, something bright red and with a douchey license plate."

The comment stung at Hux, and he thought back to the slick black sports car he used to drive, back when he had money and prospects. Life seemed suddenly too much to bare in that moment as Hux thought back to all the mistakes that had led him to be dragged around by a student with an attitude problem, disrespected continually and not even making a decent wage to compensate for all the shit academia brought with it. It was a petty thing to miss; anyone could own a flashy car, but it was another symbol of status that had been stripped from Hux. He bit back the acidic taste of regret that washed over his tongue, and tried to stifle his self-loathing.

He sighed and shook his head, forcing himself to reply to Ren as nonchalantly as possible. "Maybe in another life," was all he managed.

Ren was either more perceptive that Hux had given him credit, or sickness had transformed Hux into an open book, because a mixture of chagrin and regret spread across his face, melting his stony expression into something that had the decency to look embarrassed. "Sorry, didn't mean it like that," Ren said, clearly unaware of what he was apologizing for.

Hux dismissed the apology, the situation, the whole _fucking day_ , with a swift shake of his head. "Don't worry about it," he commanded. He sighed and went to open his car door, his hands shaky on the keys. He appealed to any higher being that could hear him to give Ren a hint to go away. Hux was suddenly very worried that the young man would offer to drive him home.

Ren thankfully made no such offer, just simply handed his things to Hux in silence. Hux was grateful for that small mercy, grateful that this horrible day would finally end. When he turned back to Ren, his expression had returned to its neutral, unreadable state, but his eyes looked considering, sizing Hux up again. They stood there, staring at each other, each unsure of what to make of the situation.

"Thank you," Hux said in a rush of words, wispy on an exhale. Ren looked startled, and it pressed Hux on. "I hate being sick and I hate getting help. But you were persistent so the least I can do is say thanks." Hux finished lamely, already shaking his head at himself, at this strange situation.

Ren eyes narrowed and his lips crinkled into a mockery of a smile. "Anytime, Prof."

The words were far too intense for the situation, for Hux, and they startled something deep within him that set off muted alarms in his head and hammering behind his ribcage. But Ren just stood there, unawares, and Hux remembered that this was the man that thought it reasonable to race him to class, to turn in crumpled papers and make scathing comments during his lectures. Ren was not some doting student trying to win his heart or seduce his way for a better grade. For all Hux knew, Ren just liked to make a habit of being a pest in all situations. Burying his worry deep down, Hux offered him his best teacher smile, bland and insincere, but he could feel his lips tapering off into something more rueful. He rolled his eyes and crouched down into his car.

"Ok, get out of my hair already," Hux said as a dismissal, and snapped the door close. Ren took a few steps back but lingered in the same place as Hux threw his car in reverse. He watched Ren in his rearview mirror as he drove off, the lowlight of early evening blurring him into a smudge of black that stood starkly against the white of the university buildings. When he was finally out of sight, Hux let out a shallow breath and locked it all away for further examination when he was well enough to think straight.

Retrospectively, he would sullenly think many weeks later, that day had been the beginning of all his troubles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for your continue readership! Next chapter things will start to pickup a little momentum....


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: mentions of intoxication and drinking in this chapter.

From Hux's experience, things tended to deteriorate in the same way: slowly and imperceptibly, and then all at once. By the time things would collapse in on themselves, the signs of decay had long been under foot. Hux had watched his life fall into shambles once before, but it seemed he was no better at catching the signs. One moment Kylo Ren was just another student, and in the next Hux lost his tenuous hold on the situation.

It all started innocuously enough after his sick day from hell. Sometimes Ren would stop into his office, argue with him for a good half an hour about whatever topic was discussed in class; other times he would just sit in Hux's office to type up his papers, ignoring Hux's irritated commands to go do his work in the library. Ren was as surly as ever, barking back at Hux if he was 'too annoying', being contrary just for the sake of it. When other students would find them, no one would say anything untoward, and Hux's colleagues did not bat an eye at the too tall man lingering in his office. As suddenly as Ren's visits would come, they were sure to suddenly stop. Ren would not visit his office for long stretches of time, and Hux would only see him gloomily sitting beside Rey, his attention studiously focused on the yellowing walls of the classroom. Hux could not predict Ren's moods, which seemed to manically swing between passive aggressive interest in his classes to zero tolerance for anything Hux had to say.

It had been two weeks since Hux had last heard Ren speak when things began to slowly shift course. The weather was a dismal thing that day, firmly fall in nature, with blankets of thick rain clouds hanging low, threateningly. The dry front of summer had finally left, and the temperature had dropped twenty degrees overnight. Hux mourned the loss of the good weather as he trudged across campus to _Business and the Arts_. The wind whipped viciously around him, stinging his cheeks and settling deep in his bones; Hux knew he would not be truly warm again until winter was good and dead and spring stood victoriously over its cold corpse.

When he finally climbed the giant hill to the upper quad, he spotted Kylo Ren leaning against a nearby building, his monolithic hands swiping across the phone they dwarfed. His ratty t-shirts and cut off shorts had been swamped in for what looked to be semi acceptable clothing choices; a long black trench coat, black jeans and boots, with a black beanie pulled over his head, fanning out his wayward curls around his face like a halo. Hux was almost shocked by the ensemble, except that it was still completely black. _What does he have against colors,_ Hux wondered passively.

"Prof," Kylo Ren called out, not looking away from his screen, "I need to talk to you."

Hux shook his head. "How did you know it was me walking by?" he asked, voice acidic from Ren's ridiculous display of some kind of quasi-telepathic sixth sense.

Ren tapped his fingers across the screen of his phone, face drawing into annoyed concentration. "I could tell. You have a very negative energy around you."

Hux decided to ignore that bullshit, knowing arguing with Ren would just reinforce his point. "What do you need, Ren?"

Ren finally had the good graces to put his phone away and look at Hux. He looked tired to Hux, the circles under his eyes darker, making his face look more drawn in. Ren was impossibly paler, his dusting of moles more prominent against his skin. His shoulders were hunched in, and his slouch made Ren seem, for once, the smaller of the two.

"Uh, I need to be excused from class on Wednesday," Ren said.

"What for?" Hux asked, shifting his bag and folders in his arms to something less straining. Conversations with Ren always seemed to drag on; might as well get comfortable.

"I have an audition," Ren said. A touch of uncertainty colored his voice, softening the syllables.

"Oh," Hux said, trying for disinterested and failing. Ren's life as a pianist still remained enigmatic. While all the other burgeoning artists in his class were overly eager to share and brag about their work, Ren was still tight lipped about the extent of his talent. "What's the audition for?"

Ren's cheeks colored, and he looked pained to even be having the conversation. "Concerto competition for the university symphony."

"Nice," Hux mumbled, mildly.

Ren shook his head and let out a low growl that Hux had come to learn signaled an uneasy mixture of frustration and chagrin. He huffed out an irritated snort through his large nose and leveled Hux a pained look.

"I don't want to do it. Rey is making me."

Hux imagined Rey in his head, the tiny girl whose slight form was easily eclipsed by Ren's leviathan body, and smiled at the thought of so small a person making Ren do _anything_ he did not want to do.

"She must be awfully convincing when she needs to be," Hux said, his voice leering, just this side of mocking. Ren grimaced at him.

"She is persistent when she wants something," Ren said, leaving it at that.

Hux nodded, brushing aside the non-sequitur their conversation had wandered down.

"We have presentations that day," Hux said after running through his class schedules in his head that day. "Are you and Rey presenting then?"

"No," Ren said, shaking his head, "we present on Monday."

Hux hummed and thought it over, examining Ren. He looked ragged, the tell-tale signs of preparing for something large evident all over his body. Normally, Hux would give his students a hard time asking for excused absences. If they needed permission, it meant something important was listed on the syllabus that day and nine out of ten times they were trying to miss whatever project or test that was scheduled in hopes of a roundabout extension. Ren seemed sincere though, and had never asked for extensions or excuses when he had previously ditched Hux's class.

"Sure," Hux said. He felt something unwind in him, loosening his gruffness into an uncomfortable kindness that sat uneasy in his gut. His lips twitched slightly into a smile. "Just win the audition so you're not wasting my time."

The taller man stared up at Hux with wide eyes, and his wind bitten cheeks seemed to blush brighter in the cold. He smiled, thin and unsure, before unfolding himself and straightening out his body back to its broad confidence.

"Will do," Ren said. "I'll see you in class then."

"See you," Hux said, and waved him off. Ren shuffled off towards the student union, with its myriad of cafes and fast food restaurants, presumably to shovel down some greasy food before class. Hux watched his retreating figure for a moment before he continued his walk to the building his class was held in, warmer than before and minding the uncomfortable wind less and less with each passing step.

He had arrived a little early and opened the class to a few students who had been loitering in the hallway, huddled together for warmth. Hux shuffled into his class and placed his things down, glad to have the extra time to let his fingers warm up and set up his laptop. It was a light day, with only a small lecture planned and the rest of class being dedicated to his students working on their group presentations. When everything was up and running, with the first screen of his PowerPoint glowing against the projection screen, he sat at the nondescript desk and placidly watched his students file in. Five minutes before class was due to start, Rey walked in, a beacon of light in the dreary day, draped in bright pastels that were out of season, with a skip in her step and an entirely undignified smile. Hux could not help the scowl he gave her, like a reflex. Anyone who looked that happy at school obviously needed to be brought down a notch or two.

"Hey professor," she said, her voice crystalline in its loveliness, raking over Hux's nerves.

Hux grunted at her. "Hello, Skywalker."

She smiled at him, unfazed by his brusqueness. "I wanted to run some ideas by you for the presentation Kylo and I are giving," she said.

"I'll stop you there. Don't get too creative with it," Hux said, knowing his request was going to go unacknowledged anyways - _artists -_ but still hoping to squash some of her enthusiasm. "All you're supposed to do is analyze the two artists you pick, and write up a business plan that would help them succeed in today's artistic climate."

 "But professor," she said, barreling past Hux's words and his hope that she would just let good enough be, "I think it's important to acknowledge a little background on the composers we picked. See, we did as you said and picked one successful artists and one that 'died penniless and humiliated, alone and without a pot to piss in', as you'd put it. Ren picked Liszt and I picked Bruch, because as you know, he wrote a fantastic violin concerto, but he sold the rights-"

A Styrofoam coffee cup was all but slammed down between Rey and Hux, making the both of them jump. They both turned their heads to Ren, who stood beside Rey, towering over her.

"Rey," he said, voice cool and controlled, "leave Professor Hux alone."

Rey's delicate lips pulled down into an ugly pout. "I am just asking him about our presentation."

Ren set his hands on her tiny shoulders and made to direct her away from Hux's desk.

"We've got it sorted, stop worrying so much," he said, trying for commanding but falling short.

"Ack, no I didn't get an answer," she protested.

"Well, you technically never got around to a question," Hux pointed out. "You just rambled."

Ren chuckled, and it might have been the absolute _strangest_ sound Hux had ever heard. It was light, bubbling out of Ren's chest in breathy little huffs. How someone with such a deep voice, usually layered thick with disdain and anger could laugh in hiccupping pearls was jarring, like everything else about the man. Rey flushed angrily, indignant at being the butt of Hux's joke, and flailed a little as Ren swiveled her body and began pushing her towards the back of the class where their unspoken claimed seats were.

"Well," she huffed out in frustration, digging her feet uselessly into the cheap linoleum classroom floors, "don't forget your coffee, you doofus."

"That's not my drink," Ren said, smooth as satin. Hux and Rey both stiffened at the admission, and turned in sync to the coffee cup sitting criminally on Hux's desk. Scrawled on it was Hux's name in thick black marker, with _EG_ written across the Drinks box.

Hux could feel himself turning red, from the tips of his ears to his toes, horror coloring him in a bright blush. Rey stared at Ren with wide eyes, mouth pulled down in shock, indicating to Hux and anyone bothering to watch their little scene that Ren just casually slamming down cups of Earl Grey on his teachers' desks was _not_ a normal thing he did. Ren look unperturbed, glancing between Rey and Hux with a sly smile and a challenge in his eyes, just daring them to say something. Hux panicked and looked to the clock in his classroom, noticing it was right on the hour.

"Everyone sit down," he practically yelled, "time to start class."

Ren turned and guided Rey to their seats, pushing her down by the shoulders. Her face had transformed in the short walk from shocked to beaming, shooting Ren a bright eyed and _knowing_ look. Ren looked as if nothing had transpired, ignoring Rey's attempts to make eye contact and just staring at Hux with a calm face. Hux tried to ignore it, ignore _them_ , but could feel still his stomach roiling with anxiety, his mind screaming at him that this was _definitely_ not appropriate student behavior. He would have to nip this in the bud after class, put Ren in his place before he got Hux into some kind of career ending trouble.

"Alright," Hux started, trying for commandeering and controlled, but sounding slightly shaken to his ears, "we are going to talk about the difference between Art Work and Popular Work."

He flipped off the lights, thankful that the blue glow of his PowerPoint presentation's background would hide any of the lingering red on his face. Hux pointedly did not look in the back of the room where the designated class _idiots_ were sitting, being sure to scan his eyes past them when he spoke. Willing his expression to resemble something close to the poker face he would wear for clients during business meetings, he drummed through the lecture, hoping for minimal interruptions.

"We can agree," he began, "that art is a very broad, subjective term."

The class murmured in agreement, for once complying. Hux nodded, feeling a bit more assured.

"Good. Like I've said a before, I am not going to try to debate the philosophy of art, but some have argued that we can break art, whatever the medium or format, into two categories. _Art Work_ , a space between the two words, you'll note, is art made for the sake of art. The painting you do for your pleasure, for the pursuit of some higher emotion, whatever the excuse it is. _Popular Art_ is art done for profit and consumption."

The class became silent, seething with dissent. A deep, awkward cough came from somewhere in the back of the room that Hux was determinedly ignoring.

"Sometimes these two things overlap. For example, a beautiful painting you made could be sold for millions. You did not intend for it to be sold, you did not do it on commission, but someone walking by saw it and was so moved that they bought it. That's _Popular Art._ Michelangelo's _David_ was done on commission to be placed originally at a cathedral in Florence. Outstanding piece of work that displays extraordinary talent? Sure. But done on commission, so still _Popular Art._ "

Hux pushed on before anyone could interrupt him with an asinine comment.

"This concept is clearer in music. Take a musician or band you love that has profoundly changed the soundscape. _Queen_ , maybe, or _Led Zeppelin._ You could name so many. They were artists but their albums were sold and they made money off it. That makes their music _pop_ music."

That had done it, triggering a cacophony of protests from his students.

"Led Zeppelin is _not_ pop," someone spat out.

"Don't confuse _popular_ with pop, ok," Hux said, putting his hand on his hips and standing his ground. "I'm not claiming they are some consumable one hit wonder you hear on the radio."

A high voice piped up from the back, much to Hux's dismay. "Besides," Rey chimed in, "what's your problem pop music, huh? Just because it isn't weighed down with deep lyrics does not make it any less valuable."

"Uh," Hux stammered out, surprised by Rey backing him up, "Skywalker is right. You're the one making some sort of judgement call on the merit of popular music. A bit condescending, don't you think?"

"Yeah!" Rey chirped. Hux looked between the supportive smile she shot at him, and Kylo Ren's staring at Hux with the look of a man horribly embarrassed by a sibling.

"Perhaps I can put it in less offensive terms," Hux offered, trying to calm his riled up class, "many composers wrote commissioned pieces for the church that are still performed today because of their artistic legacy, their lasting power. Handel's _Messiah_ comes to mind. Other pieces were written for the sake of art itself, for the concept or some philosophy. The whole modern movement was in this spirit and vein. Do either classification devalue their works value? _No._ "

"Look," Hux sighed, sifting through the slides aimlessly, scanning past the information he just covered, "the point is, you're livelihood will be off of commissions, and you need to see value in the work you do for these commissions. It is a rare thing that you will create a piece of work and have somebody stumble upon it and shower you with money. You need to earn cash, and putting your skills to work is the way to do it. But recognize that some of the world's most valuable works were ones done because an artist needed to eat to and put himself to work."

Miraculously, his class was silent, the energy of the room heavy with contemplation. Many of their faces looked upon Hux, considering his words as if this was the first time anyone had ever told them this. When Hux chanced a look back at Ren, his smile was back, crooking to the right of his face, like Hux had just done something charming. He nodded to Hux in acknowledgement, and Hux silently interpreted the gesture as ' _good one.'_

 _Damn it_ , Hux thought, horrified despite the small, rueful smile he returned to Ren, _this is not good._

The rest of the lecture passed quietly enough, for once. Hux was thankful for the lack of interruptions, not wanting a reason to shut down students and earn himself Ren's ponderous stares and smiles that would burgeon from his face like plants reaching their leaves to the sun whenever he would verbally lash someone. The lecture was short and to the point, and ended much too quickly. When he reached the last slide, the class began to whisper to each other, the sounds of stretched limbs and shuffled papers muffling the room.

"Alright, the rest of the class period is for you and your partner to sit together and hammer out the last of the details for your presentations. Remember, don't bog it down with a history lesson," Hux said, not stopping the glare he shot at Rey, who glared right back at him, "just a simple business plan. It's a theoretical exercise."

"What if your group is ready and doesn't need the time to talk?" a man with plugs and a lip piercing asked, trying to rile up Hux.

Hux shrugged, trying for nonchalance. "Then you can leave. I just hope for your sakes that your presentation is perfect." He surveyed the room with his eyes narrowed and lips pursed, challenging any of them to leave early.

"Ok then, get to it," he ordered.

The class broke off into their groups, and Hux unplugged his laptop from the projector and sat down at his desk. He opened his email, hoping to idle through some work for the rest of the class time, desperate for a distraction. As the soft cacophony of voices resonated through the room, a mingling off topic gossip and quiet planning, Hux stared at the screen and wondered what to do with Ren. Up until this moment, he had quieted his suspicions, thinking them ridiculous. _People aren't that rude to someone they like_ , was his mantra every time Ren did something out of the ordinary. It was easy to believe, too, because Ren was always pouting and arguing, inferring that Hux was stupid and being obstinate on principal. Hux had been charmed by handsome men before, wooed by their sly side-eyed glances and clever words, had been bewitched by simpering girls with cloying smiles and coquettish actions, and never in his time did they ever act so blatantly rude and disrespectful in their flirtations. Even now, glossing over his emails and not reading a lick of what they said, Hux could not _quite_ believe that Ren was trying to pursue something outside of what the university deemed appropriate for teacher-student interactions. Ren might have _stretched_ the limits of it, but Hux had allowed it, not sensing the harm and knowing it was a losing battle to argue with Ren when he was determined.

He glanced wearily at the coffee cup, untouched by Hux. It was like a glaring road sign, shouting in bright primary colors _danger ahead_. Students had _never_ bought Hux drinks, be it tea or something else; he just did not allow for that behavior. Hux knew he was cruel and stern to his students in part to ward off their interests, and it had done him well for the last few years. But Ren seemed drawn to Hux's sharp tongue and cold demeanor, determined to raise Hux's hackles and draw out his viscous side. _Maybe that's how he flirts,_ he realized, his panic racking higher.

Hux glanced up at his class, at the bent heads bunched in pairs, and looked to Ren and Rey. They sat side by side, their heads inclined to the side towards each other, whispering in urgent voices. Rey looked worked up, his lips moving fast in indiscernible words, and wondered if she was arguing her elaborate plan for the project. Ren would reply every now in then, interrupting her musings with short, curt words. Hux wished he could read lips, wished he had bothered practicing it as a child. They chatted like that, urgent and clearly bickering, until Rey jutted her chin and Hux's direction, and both of them glanced at Hux. Mortified at being caught staring at them, Hux balefully glared at them, scowling hideously in hopes to scare them off. Rey frowned at him, clearly miffed by his put upon anger; Ren just cocked an eyebrow, unimpressed.

Hux shook his head and looked back at his laptop, determined not to be caught staring at Ren again. _It will only encourage him_ , Hux reminded himself. That much was true. Ren seemed to feed off of Hux's antagonizing stares. No need to add more fuel to the proverbial fire.

Class ended soon enough and everyone trickled out. Hux grunted his goodbyes to everyone one in the manner of a disgruntled ape, not bothering to stare them all down as they left like he usually would. He fervently hoped that Ren and Rey would just go away, be normal students who did not feel the need to harass their professor at any opportunity, but Hux rarely ever got what he wanted.

"Professor Hux," Rey said, forcing him to look away from the laptop he had been dully gazing at, "I thought your lecture was spot on today."

Her face was sincere, her smile easy and assuring, as if she really believed his shoddy lecture had been a kind of revelation. Hux slid his eyes from the girl to Ren, who shrugged and rolled his eyes.  Rey elbowed him in the side, like a prompt.

"Uh, yeah," Ren said, voice straining, clearly uncomfortable in giving Hux any kind of compliment, "it was… enlightening."

A condescending bark of laughter was ripped from him. "Flattery will not give you a better grade on your presentation."

Rey looked indignant at the jab. "Uh, we'll be earning our A fair and square with our _amazing_ presentation."

Hux got up from his seat and gathered his things up, ready to flee the situation. "If you add in extra stuff and drag it out longer than it needs to be, you won't get an A. I'm serious Rey," and he pointed an accusing finger at her, silencing the interruption about to slip her mouth, "I get that you're an overachiever but just follow my directions. I don't want to be in class all day."

Rey's mouth snapped shut, and she frantically pivoted her head between Ren and Hux, her anger suddenly boiling over in to wordless gasps. Hux crossed his arms and stared her down, waiting for her eruption. After a few graceless stutters, she settled her sights on _Ren_ , and threw her arms up in the air.

"Wow!" she shouted at Ren.

"Wow, what? Wow, _me?_ " Ren shouted back, his hands raised defensively.

"Yeah, wow, _you_ ," she yelled, and then quickly stamped out of the class.

"Oh, that's just _great,_ " Ren groaned, his words stretched dramatically and booming through the empty room, "Did you really have to piss her off?"

"Me?" Hux said, hands falling on his chest, a nonverbal reiteration of _how could this be my fucking fault?_

"Yeah, you! You didn't have to insult her!" Ren said angrily. "Now I'm going to have to deal with her! Do you know how defensive her friends get when I piss her off? They're probably going to be waiting for me outside my apartment tonight, ready to chew my ear off about how terrible I am. _Thanks for that_."

"Look, whatever's going on here is not my problem. She's _your_ partner, _you_ reign her in," Hux snapped.

Ren body collapsed in on itself, his frustration taking hold. His knees buckled and he stamped his feet, momentarily looking like a kind of foul troll. It was ludicrous. Hux watched him bunch his hands around his beanie, and a detached part of Hux that was not _horrified_ by Ren's childlike outburst was wondering if he'd finally see Ren's hair, sans a stupid hair style.

Ren dropped his hands suddenly, and pointed accusingly at the coffee cup on sitting innocently on the table. "You didn't drink the tea I got you."

"Yeah, because you shouldn't be buying your teachers drinks," Hux scathingly said.

"Oh my God, can you not appreciate a nice gesture?" Ren accused, like Hux was the one throwing a tantrum and being uncivilized.

"No, because it's inappropriate. When has it _ever_ been ok to buy your teacher things?" Hux asked.

"We buy our music professors drinks all the time," Ren said.

Hux was going to need a mouth guard from all the Ren induced teeth-grinding he was suffering.

"Look, I'm not one of your free spirited music professors who has no propriety because they are _an artist_ and think that rules don't apply to them. You can't buy me drinks, you can't keep coming in my office for non-class related things. It's inappropriate!" Hux could feel himself turning blue from ranting, his words rushing out of him in his anger and exasperation.

When he was done, he stared at Ren, whose eyes were narrowed in a glare, and his cheeks stained in a high color of anger. His hands were opening and closing, like he wanted to grab a fistful of Hux and throw him across the room. The taller man's body was practically vibrating from his emotions, barely contained and shaking from the exertion of trying to control it. For a moment, Hux was sure he was going to strike him, and he prepared himself for a fist fight. He had not been in one in years, but Hux had always been scrappy and fought dirty. If Ren attacked him, he would not stop himself from scratching and clawing him like a wild beast; he _always_ won.

Instead, Ren reached out and grabbed the drink, and in one swift, elegant motion, chucked the cup at the nearest wall. It exploded in a spectacular fashion, cold tea flying in every direction like a subpar firework.

" _What the fuck?"_ Hux yelled.

"There!" Ren yelled back, "Since it was so offensive." He then gathered up his things and stalked out the room, tracking tea in the hallway and leaving Hux sputtering behind him with his arms waving indignantly.

"Hey, get back here!" he yelled, "and clean that up!"

That had not exactly been the way Hux anticipated that conversation going.

 

* * *

 

After what Hux had referred to Phasma over too many glasses of wine as _The Tea Incident From Hell_ , Hux had heard or seen nothing from Ren and Rey that week. When Wednesday rolled around, Ren was missing, as Hux had expected, along with Rey. That had been a worrisome thing, and Hux feared momentarily that the two of them would report him for misconduct. It was his word against theirs, and Hux knew he could win this fight if he had to, but he would rather not have the University turning its attention on him for any reason outside of good teacher reviews and published journal articles. Still, their absence weighed on him, and stressed him out more than he was willing to admit. He was jumpier than usual, and snapped at his students more than was probably professionally acceptable. It came to a head when Phasma cornered him in his office after his Thursday class.

"Brendol," she said, her voice stern and reminding Hux of his mother. Hux covered his face with his hands, mortified by his name. Phasma only used it when Hux was being a total ass.

"Ugh, what?" he asked, his embarrassment muffled by his hands.

"You're _way_ too stressed over an argument with two students," she said, reasonable as always. "And when you get stressed, you make everyone in the department miserable. Can you lighten up?"

Hux dropped his hands and looked up at Phasma. She looked genuinely concerned, her blue eyes lazered in on him, scanning his face in worry. Phasma was his closest friend (which was sad when he thought about it, because a majority of their relationship was spent either in the confines of academia, or with copious amounts of liquor), and she never voiced any complaints about Hux's behavior unless she was alarmed.

"I'm sorry," he sighed, suddenly deflating, "you know how I get. When things go wrong, it feels like-"

" _Starkiller_ , yeah," she said, nodding and needing no further explanation. "Look, this is a whole lot different from that. Low key in comparison. Just keep cool from here on out when you interact with those two. I'm sure they're scared after your altercation, they'll stay out of your way."

She smiled, beautiful and daunting as always, and gripped his shoulder with a strong hand.

"Now, I think all this stress earned you a night out with me," Phasma said, eyes suddenly wicked.

Hux groaned in exasperation, but his heart was not fully in it. For once, he kind of agreed with her. "Christ, you're unflappable. How do you still have a functioning liver?"

Phasma laughed, the sound both hearty and bell like at once, an elegant, genuine sound that Hux had always loved a little. "Didn't I tell you? I harvest the organs of undergrads."

"Ah, that's why you're always covered in their blood," Hux said mildly around his wide grin.

"There's my Hux," she cooed. "I'll pick you up at 7 tonight, we'll go try some new bars, maybe pick up some cuties."

Hux rolled his eyes, but felt the weight of the week begin to float away from him, finally untethered from his ribs where his anxiety had been nestling. A night away from work and students was exactly what he needed.

When Hux had finished his consultations and research for the day, he felt excited for once about going out with Phasma and possibly getting hammered. They both knew that they were probably too old to be roving the streets on a Thursday night, liquored up like some green-horned undergraduates, but they also shared a proclivity for strong drinks and flirting with gorgeous people. And they had serious _game_ after a few drinks. Hux looked through his closet, trying to figure out what to wear. Phasma would be flawlessly put together, probably in something to show off her Adonis body and tastefully display her ample cleavage. Hux knew he would not find an ensemble to even put himself on Phasma's level of stunning and gorgeous, but he could at least not look like a stuffy teacher when he was out with her. He dug through his closet, past the piles of button ups, slacks, and hideous sweater vests, and found an old black t-shirt with a deep cut. He threw it on, admired the way his strong neck flowed down to his chest, the delta where his collarbones met and broadened to his chest _. This will do_ , he thought smugly. Atop of his shirt and a pair of jeans that were far too tight ten years ago, he donned his leather jacket at the sound of his shrill doorbell.

When he opened the door _,_ Phasma was standing there, looking crushingly beautiful and just a little frightening, as was her style. She was wearing tall black pumps, unafraid to loom over Hux and every other man they would surely encounter, tight jeans that clung over her strong calves like a second skin, and a blue sweater that made her blonde hair more shocking and vibrant in contrast. Around her eyes was a thick smear of eyeliner and eyeshadow, making her already striking eyes pop.

"Oh, come on!" Hux said, flapping his hands in exasperation, "you're not even giving me a fighting chance here."

Phasma chuckled, delighted at Hux's defeat, and ran a manicured hand through her hair, tousling it gorgeously. 

"You don't look half bad," she said, sounding like a compliment coming from her.

"Alright, you louse, let's get on with this," he said, rolling his eyes and locking his apartment behind him

Phasma drove them across the city to where an outcrop of dark dive bars and painfully hipster gastropubs were. That part of town was gridded with restaurants and antique shops, with old neighborhoods lining the main drag. Most of the homes were from the late '30s and early '40s, and each had the time to grow their own character, making the neighborhood look like a colorful sprawl of unique homes rather than cookie cutter housing tracks that Hux despised. They parked beneath a tall oak tree that could be seen from blocks away, and began their crawl down the street.

They started in a smoky bar called _Bespin_ , whose air was thick with hookah from the back lounge. They drank brightly colored shots and chatted up a dark haired bartender with a girth of stories of his _less_ respectable times smuggling drugs and contraband with a roguish man who was almost as good of a smuggler as the bartender had been.

"He sounds like Hux's type," Phasma had told the bartender with a wink, "handsome, chaotic rule breakers."

Hux scoffed around a mouthful of some kind of shot called Blue Milk. "Please, he sounded like a nightmare. I've got enough of those in my life."

The bartender chuckled, and waved Phasma's hand away when she tried to slip him her credit card. "He had his fair share of willing mates, that's for sure. He once slept with a set of twins, a brother and a sister, though not at the same time."

" _No,_ " Phasma said, delightfully scandalized.

" _Yes_ ," their bartender said, and winked at Hux, who was gawking in horror.

"That sounds like quite the dysfunctional family," Hux said

The bartender shook his head and laughed, enjoying some personal memory Phasma and Hux were not privy to. "You kids have no idea."

They left the bar after their handsome bartender was pulled away, and meandered from joint to joint, building up a steady buzz. One of the perks of going out with Phasma was that they rarely ever paid for their drinks; bartenders and patrons alike were equally enthralled by the tall woman in her four inch heels and were always clambering to pick up their tab if only to get closer to hear her talk about her wild fitness regiments and horror stories about her students. Hux thought himself a charming enough person, and could do well on his own, but Phasma seemed to create a cult of personality wherever she went.

Around 10 o'clock they stumbled into a bar that Phasma promised had live music. The place was called _Mos Eisley's Cantina_ , a bar that was known to be rowdy on the weekends and sold margaritas whose booze to dollar ratio was economically favorable (in layman terms, would get one fucked up for a good price, as Phasma had once put it). When they walked in, the lights were dimmed for a three piece group playing on stage. They meandered to the bar to flag down the barkeep for some drinks, and after putting in their orders for two margaritas, Hux turned around and surveyed the room as Phasma chatted up a small girl with long billowing hair. Hux was on the precipice between tipsy and drunk, and enjoyed the balance of it. His inhibitions were lower, and his worries from the week dissolved away. The atmosphere of the bar was jovial, and the music was good. Hux glanced up to the little stage, where three people sat bunched around a heap of musical instruments, one short woman flanked by two men. The woman was belting a sweet tune in her soprano voice, carrying high above her mates' accompaniment. It pricked at something in Hux, his drink dumbed senses telling him the voice was familiar, and he tried focusing his gaze on the stage better, to make out their faces. The trio was adorned in bright colored shirts, the man to the left in blues and purples, the woman in red and yellow, and to her right, a large man with inky black hair curling wildly on his shoulders in sickly green. Their whole ensemble of clothing looked terrible, and Hux was glaring at them trying to make out their faces through the hazy lights, until the large man in green lifted his head and flipped his wild hair out of his eyes.

"Jesus. Fucking. Christ," Hux cursed out.

"What is it," Phasma asked, swiveling to him in panic. "Are you sick already?"

"Kylo Ren and Rey Skywalker are playing on the stage," he said, pointing a shaky finger at them. Phasma snapped her eyes to the stage, and looked at his students playing music, unaware of their present.

"Oh shit, you're right," she said, sounding all too excited. "Oh, wow, the other guy in blue? I'm pretty sure I had him in one of my freshmen seminars. I think he dropped after I yelled at him."

"Let's get out of here," Hux said just as the bartender brought them their margaritas.

"No, no, no, we just got our drinks, we have to at least finish them like civilized adults," Phasma argued. "Plus, maybe we'll witness Ren smashing instruments or something."

Hux groaned and let her lead them to a table, far enough away from the stage that they were shrouded in the shadows. By the time they were seated, the trio was finished with their song and were receiving a modest applause. Rey set down a mandolin she had been strumming on and beatifically thanked the crowd, all gracious and cheery. It was catching and disgusting all at once, and Hux gulped down his margarita in irritation.

"Thank you, thank you," she said sweetly. "I'm Rey, that's Finn on percussion and Kylo on keys. If you've been here before on our weekly set, you probably know we change our name every week." The crowd chuckled at this, as if they were all in on the joke. "This week, we're ROY G BIV," she continued on, "hence the colors."

"Oh she is just _precious,_ " Phasma purred, voice suddenly predatory, and Hux glanced to see her smile become leering.

"She's a student," Hux reminded her sullenly.

"She's _your_ student," Phasma said with a delicate shrug, "not mine."

"Yeah, we'll probably not stick with it though," said Finn with a cheeky smile, looking over to Kylo who gave him a deadpan look in anticipation, "Kylo isn't too fond of colors."

The crowd laughed harder, like they all knew of Kylo's tendency to wear black and _only_ black. Kylo grinned sheepishly, looking shy from where Hux glared at him, and told the audience, "I had to borrow one of Finn's many hideous shirts."

Finn snorted, and shook his head. "Ok, our next song is our take on _You Go Down Smooth_. If you see a cutie at the bar, now's the time to buy them a drink."

Kylo made eye contact with the other two and counted them in with a soft, "One, two, one two three four…"

The piece was beat driven, with Finn hitting a short percussive pulse on two and four, while Kylo played a steady, thumping bass line on the keyboards with harmony atop it. Rey strummed the mandolin, adding a final layer of rhythm that looped steadily throughout the song. They meshed almost seamlessly together, though sometimes the drummer would stumble through rhythms, but Kylo was there to pick up the slack when needed. Hux could feel his irritation dissipate and give way to surprise at their talent. He stared at the way Kylo's large hands flew about the piano, his fingers easily spreading to large intervals, never missing a key. It was mesmerizing to watch, and Hux was transfixed for a moment by Kylo's capable hands, the way he bobbed his head to the beat and scattered his hair across his face.

" _Would it be true to say that I ordered you?_ " Rey sang out, her dipping low to dulcet tones, " _Or is it you that ordered me?_ "

"Oh my God, and she can _sing,_ " Phasma sighed.

"Don't even think about it, _Lynn_ ," Hux snapped.

They reached a sort of bridge then, Rey singing out, " _And I'm afraid to need you so, and I'm too sober not to know, that you may be my problem not my love_." After every line Finn and Kylo would harmonize beneath her, crying out and echoing Rey's _ah ah'_ s to emphasize.  Hux was taken aback by how deep Kylo's voice was, how he was somehow able to push out so low of a note and project it, and was horrified by how much he _liked_ the sound. He shot a glance to Phasma in panic, and she smiled wider, her canines glistening in the low light.

Another stanza passed, the beat infectious and Finn and Kylo's _ooohs_ perfectly placed beneath Rey's unyielding vocals that the audience was swaying in their seats, enraptured and caught up in the song. They came upon the bridge and suddenly the song halted, Kylo and Finn watching Rey for a cue in the brief pause before she crooned out, melismatic and sweeping " _You go down smooth,_ " followed by Ren and Finn pounding out a responsive melody and singing _smooth_ in their poor imitation of Rey's voice, climbing far higher than comfortable for their range. The effect was instantaneous; the audience broke out in laughter. Even Hux was smiling at it, loosening in the infectious atmosphere their stage presence created. When the song reached the last reiteration, Ren and Finn were belting as loudly as possible, a crude juxtaposition to Rey's flawless vocals. The crowd erupted in laughter and applause at the end and Hux found himself clapping along with the rest of them.

"Alright we're taking a beer break," Ren said, his face broken in a genuine smile, "we'll be back in 15 minutes."

The trio began setting down their instruments when a man at the table next to them declared a little too loudly in a love struck voice, "that's my boyfriend, isn't he just _the cutest?_ "

Hux whipped his head around in shock, his eyes falling on the man seated at the table next to them, wearing a hideous orange blazer. Despite the awful choice in color, he was beautiful. Flawless, wavy chestnut hair with highlights of premature grey that somehow added to his appeal. His eyes were soft brown, doe like and almond in shape, with laughter lines that feathered around them. Strong jaw, cheek bones that could cut steel, and the perfect five o'clock shadow.

"Excuse me?" Hux spat out in disbelief before his brain could stop him, " _You're_ dating Kylo Ren?"

The man looked over at Hux, mirroring the same open mouthed surprise that was on Phasma's face. "No," he said, his handsome features taking on a panicked look as he realized what Hux said, "Oh God, no. No, **no**. _Finn_ is my boyfriend."

"Oh," was Hux's brilliant reply.

The man glanced from him to Phasma, and his face suddenly lit up. "Oh hey, I remember you! Phasma, right?"

"Yes," she said, "Poe?"

"Yeah, yeah. From the wine bar," he said. He turned to Hux and gave him a quick wink, "This one is feisty, one moment we're chatting, the next I'm picking up her tab."

"That seems to happen a lot," Hux said grumpily.

Poe and Phasma ignored Hux while he sat in quiet humiliation at the table. He was sure his outburst would get back to Ren somehow, and he was hoping he would have an aneurism before it could. He was not even sure why the idea of Kylo Ren having a movie star-esque, picture perfect boyfriend hit an unpleasant chord in him. _It's not my business, whoever Ren dates_ , Hux thought, his subconscious thick from the booze and something else that was heated and unnamable. Something whispered back, in a betrayal he would regret when he was more sober, _it could be._

"So why are you guys at the _Cantina_ tonight?" Poe asked Phasma, snapping Hux from his drunken reveries.

"Oh, Hux here had a bad week, so I thought I'd give him a good old fashioned hangover to make him forget about it," Phasma explained.

"Oh no, sorry to hear that pal," Poe said, sounding genuinely apologetic for reasons Hux could not fathom, "what happened?"

"Annoying students," Hux said, hoping they would leave it at that.

Phasma wagged her eyebrows at Poe, and nodded her head to the stage were Kylo and Rey were disentangling themselves from the mess of instruments. "In fact, it was those two who were his annoying students."

Poe followed Phasma's gaze up to the stage, a brief look of confusion marring his handsome face, before understanding set in. He turned on Hux, fast as lightning, and suddenly furious.

"So you're that dick teacher who made Rey upset?" he said, seething.

"What?" Hux asked, dumbed down by the alcohol.

Poe pointed up at Rey, who at that moment had turned towards the crowd and noticed their little party. "Yeah, man, she came home after your class on Monday totally mad at you for trampling on her enthusiasm."

Hux threw his head back and groaned to the ceiling, his eyes rolling. Of course this handsome stranger would be just as _unbearable_ as Rey and Kylo.

"Oh my God, I just came out to have a good time," Hux said, gulping down a mouthful of his drink, "and you're two friends up there made a whole scene in my class. Did you know Kylo _threw a cup of tea at a wall_?"

It all happened perfectly, Hux could not have timed it better. Just as the words escaped his mouth, Finn, Rey, and Kylo had approached the group, each with a beer in their hands. Rey looked concerned, clearly worried her friend would get her in some kind of trouble, while Kylo turned a bright scarlet that clashed horribly with his green shirt. Finn, Rey and Poe looked at Kylo in shock.

"You did _what_?" Rey asked.

"Uh," Kylo said eloquently, "uh." He took a swig of his beer in cowardice.

"He threw a cup of tea at a wall in my classroom, and left me to slop it up with paper towels," Hux replied when Kylo would not.

"Kylo!" Rey snapped, "That is so not ok!"

"Yeah, man, you can't just throw cups of tea, what is someone got burnt?" Poe asked.

"Say sorry to Professor Hux," Rey commanded.

At the words a small ripple went through their group, so subtle that Hux almost missed it. Poe and Finn both looked towards each other, exchanging a look of recognition that made Hux think they had heard his name before. Kylo looked at them all, his face queasy, until he looked at Hux and sighed unnecessarily long.

"Sorry I threw tea in your classroom," he grumbled.

"Apology accepted," Hux said, turning his attention back to his drink and trying to ignore the heat crawling up the back of his neck

Poe nodded, and reached up to pat Kylo on the hip like a doting father. "There's a good boy," he said, voice sweet in its condescension. Kylo swatted his hand away before sitting in the empty chair next to Hux.

"So, you're Rey and Kylo's teacher?" Finn asked, coming around to Poe and lopping an arm around his shoulder. Poe leaned into Finn, nuzzling against his side, and Hux had a feeling that in their friend group, they were the annoying couple who could not keep their hands off each other.

"Yes," Hux said, "though tonight I'm off the clock."

Kylo glanced at him and gave him a mischievous smile that Hux absolutely did _not_ like the look of. "So we can get you drunk?" he said.

"Technically," Phasma said, interrupting Hux before he could protest the suggestion, "he's already drunk."

"Hey now, that's the spirit!" Rey said brightly, gripping her glass of beer with her tiny hands.

"Are you even old enough to be in a bar?" Hux asked.

The group suddenly looked very interested in the floor, everyone refusing to meet Hux's eyes.

"Most places turn a blind eye to the age suggestion when the person is in the band," Ren supplied helpfully.

Hux laughed and shook his head. "It's not a _suggestion_."

"So, you're drunk already?" Kylo asked, ignoring Hux's point and steering the conversation back to its previous course.

"Yes, for the most part," Hux admitted.

Kylo looked at him, his eyes running along his body and taking in his dressed down state, and Hux swore he could _feel_ it everyplace his stare grazed.

"Hmm," he hummed in contemplation, "I wouldn't be able to tell. You still seem too wound up."

"Wound up?"

"You know, stick up your ass," Kylo helpfully supplied while Hux took a sip of his drink, all but inhaling it at the comment.

"I can't believe you just said that to me," Hux said, wiping margarita salt off his face.

Ren shrugged, clearly pleased with the reaction he pulled from Hux. "You're off the clock, remember?"

Hux stared at him for a moment, and felt the reminder whisper temptingly in the back of his head. He glanced at Phasma, usually a rock in these kinds of situations but was preoccupied with coolly glaring at Finn while he withered under her gaze, and felt a reckless part of him claw its way out of the deep hole he had buried it long ago.

"Are you always such a dick?" Hux asked.

Ren titled his body towards Hux and dipped his head down close to Hux's ears, and said "Only ‘cause I know you like it."

Hux flushed hotly at the comment, at the way Ren's voice lowered to a faint mutter that only he could hear. Hux grinned, and finished his drink, enjoying the dark look Ren gave him, far too intense for this silly bar. His blood thrummed with the alcohol coursing through his body, and Hux thought for perhaps the first time that all of Ren's mismatched features, his cross attitude and unpredictable disposition was attractive in a way Hux had never encountered before. Hux was never one to go for the emotionally fraught type, the kind of people who seemed at the mercy of their emotional whims, but Kylo Ren could play piano and had a gaze that pinned Hux to his chair, and in that moment, Hux felt inclined to throw caution to the wind and let whatever happen come.

"Time's up, boys," Rey said, setting her beer down, not even halfway finished, onto the table. "Let's go finish this up."

Hux tilted his chin up to glance at Ren out of the corner of his eye, "Have fun singing your hipster crap."

"Hey, we play some classics too," Ren said, smoothing his hands over this thighs before jumping up. "See you on the other side."

Hux watched Ren retreat to the stage, his body straining in the tight confines of Finn's too small shirt, and felt something cruel and hot twist in him. When he finally managed to look away, Poe was staring at him, his face considering and eyes narrow.

"So, Rey says you and Ren butt heads a lot," Poe started.

"Yeah, as you probably know, he's a little insufferable," Hux said, matter of fact. Poe laughed, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly

"Oh yeah, long as I've known Ren he's never been the most friendly person," Poe said, his face fond and tone light in recollection. "Only real reason we put up with him is because he's Rey's cousin, if we're being honest."

Hux could feel his eyebrows shoot to hair hairline. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah man, ever since Rey was born, Ren and her have been inseparable. Or, more accurately, Rey has been following him around."

"Really," Hux mumbled, reexamining the two with the new information. Ren and Rey did seem like siblings at times, berating each other in a way normal friends would not cross. He was surprised he had missed that fact, but just brushed it off to being constantly blinded by his irritation of the two.

"Yeah, so Rey and Ren are kind of a package deal," Poe continued, and then leveled Hux a dark stare, "Rey really cares about Ren, which means we have to really care about Ren."

Hux shifted a glance to Phasma, who was unhelpfully tapping at her phone, playing some sort of game. "Ok," he said, unwilling to acknowledge the slight threat behind Poe's statement. 

Poe patted Hux on the back, a heavy smack that slightly winded him, and gave Hux another congenial, model smile. "There we go, glad we're on the same page, pal. Let's drink to that, eh?"

"Oh, what are we drinking to?" Phasma piped up, summoned from her concentration by the easy promise of free alcohol. Hux scowled at her balefully for her selective hearing.

"Oh, you know, to honor," Poe said innocently enough, and waved down a waitress. "Three beers for me and my new friends, miss."

"Oh, I'll drink to that if you're honoring the tab," Phasma said, winking at Poe salaciously.

Poe waved his arm out in a gentile gesture and bowed his head regally. "For you, my steel queen, I'll honor as many drinks as you'd like."

"You two are disgusting," Hux said, meaning it with every ounce of his being.

They watched the rest of the trio's set in moments of amiable silence, and easy conversation. Poe was genuine and an obvious romantic, definitely the type of person Hux would have fallen hard for when he was twenty and wishing for someone to sweep him off his feet and away from everything. Now a little older and worse for wear, Hux felt nauseated listening to Poe gush about his boyfriend and how perfect he was, and did not miss that kind of intense attachment. Poe and Phasma seemed to have a great deal in common, both keenly interested in slightly dangerous Crossfit practices and oddly enough, piloting.

Hux let them talk as he nursed his beer and watched the trio play though their set. He tried to be impartial and enjoy the songs, which ranged between stripped down covers of classic rock songs to bright, melancholic tunes Hux had never heard before. Rey sang mostly, supported by Finn and Ren's low harmonies, but sometimes the others would take over moments of the song when it was more suited to their range. Through a mellower song that spoke of a violent kind of love, Ren and Rey exchanged the lyrics, transforming it to a regretful and dazed duet, each taking over for the other when the melody climbed too high or meandered to low.

" _The way she shows me I'm hers and she's mine,"_ Rey sang softly, lulling the audience to a soft murmur, " _open hand or closed first would be fine."_

" _The blood is rare,"_ Ren sang back as his fingers gently pushed out chords on the keyboard, " _and sweet as cherry wine."_

By the end of their set, Hux had decided that Ren was far too talented to be playing piano in a bar, and was determined to hear him sing again someday. When the three of them returned, Hux was sure his impressive flush that burned his skin could be written off by the empty drinks sitting before him. Ren sat next to him, comfortable in a way Hux had never seen before, and smiled at him contentedly.

"So, what did you think?" Ren asked, voice thick with satisfaction. Hux tried to look unimpressed as he stared at the younger man's face, hair matted down on his forehead with sweat and brown eyes shining with pride, but he could not stop the small smile that broke across his face.

"I think that you're really good," Hux said truthfully, "a lot better than you let on at least."

Ren shook his head and bit his bottom lip before saying, "You just say that because your taste in music is probably already bad."

"Ouch, an insult in exchange for a compliment, how atypical of you," Hux responded tartly.

"You can't stand being teased, can you?" Ren asked coyly.

Hux smirked at that, and crooked an eyebrow at Ren when he said, "I like it probably just as much as you do."

He meant the comment innocently enough, but the moment the words slipped past his lips, Ren's face went from playful to _interested_ in a way it had not been before. Hux could not bring himself to take back the comment, excuse away his words as an awkward jumbling of a different sentence. Instead, he watched Ren process his words, the implications he had not meant to broadcast racketing his shoulders up in tension and hooding his eyes like a predator beholding his prey. _You're going to regret that_ , his reason screamed at him from behind the sluggish prison inebriation had trapped it, but that was a problem Hux could worry about the next day.

"I think," Ren said, cautiously licking his lips as if to taste the words, "you should help me pack up the keyboard."

That was not the seductive invitation Hux had been anticipating. "You want me to do what?" Hux said, incredulous at the offer of manual labor.

"Come on, I'll put you to work," Ren said, dragging Hux by the hand up and out of his seat. Hux grumbled in the whiplash of mood, his desire flanking and annoyance seeping in its place, and followed Ren to the stage. The keyboard was light enough when split between two people, and Hux managed not to trip over any surface as he walked it out backwards, Ren directing him from the other side of the instrument. They walked out the back of the bar, to a darkly lit parking lot where a beat up white van was waiting.

"I'm not getting kidnapped, right?" Hux asked sarcastically as they loaded the instrument into the back of the van.

"Not yet," Ren said smoothly.

Hux rolled his eyes, ready to get back to his drinks, when he was stopped in his tracks by a hand wrapping around his wrist. He pivoted on his foot, trapped in the manacles of Ren's hands, and looked up. This close, the scant few inches of difference in height was enough to give Ren an advantage. He backed Hux up against the side of the car, shadowed away from the bar door. Ren framed Hux in with his hands, far too close for comfort. Hux was torn between the animalistic desire to flee far away, and stand his ground to see through what would come.

"What are you doing," he asked, the words softer, less biting than he had meant them to be.

Ren's face was inches away from his, his breath billowing soft clouds in the cold air of foggy liquor, and Hux fought the urge to squirm closer, to close the distance.

"I'm teasing you," he said in a voice gruff. Hux felt himself light up, as if Ren had lit a match in his body and all the alcohol that was still coursing through him combusted with the fire.

"I don't like being teased," Hux said, and in retaliation put his hands on Ren's hips, digging his fingers into the soft flesh that was exposed between his shirt and jeans. Hux had once been accustomed to getting what he wanted in life, and while his place in the grand scheme of things were far more humble than they had once been, his appetite to devour all he wanted had yet to be satiated. He dragged Hux's hips against his, their waists flushed together, and the animal whine that escaped Ren's lips made him hungrier.

"Well," Ren stammered out when his system seemed to whir back to life, "what are you going to do about it?"

Hux thought it over, and did the insane, the thing that would haunt him for weeks and keep him up at night; he fisted a handful of Ren's thick hair, and dragged his lips to his own in a kiss that would leave bruises for him to regret the next day. Ren snarled, his tongue pushing past Hux's lips, vying for domination. The sound resonated through Hux, all the way down to his marrow, and Hux answered with his own groan, hoping to draw more sounds from the man and create a lustful feedback loop. Ren kissed him messily, biting Hux's bottom lip and streaking wet trails down his chin and on his neck. Hux gasped and clawed at Ren's arms, trying to find traction as Ren bit on the skin near his collarbone, worrying his flesh between his teeth and sucking painfully.

"Shit," Hux gasped. "That's going to leave a mess."

Ren released his skin and lapped at it with his hot tongue, sealing his ministrations with a hot kiss, before returning to Hux's lips.

"Good," Ren said, the words scorching the bits of Hux's skin they ghosted over. "I want to see you wearing those stupid sweater vests, knowing just beneath the collar were my marks."

"You are such a bastard," Hux moaned. "I haven't had a hickey since high school."

Ren pulled back to get a better look at Hux. His hair was a beautiful disheveled mess, gorgeous from Hux's handiwork, and his lips were red from the places Hux had nipped at. Ren's smile glistened in the low light, spit-slick and devilish.

"Let me rectify that," Ren said, his hands dropping to rub at Hux's straining erection through his blasted tight jeans, choking off Hux's protestation with the rough pressure.

"Fucking hell," Hux yelled out before a large hand settled across his mouth.

"Shut up," Ren said between nips of his neck, "or someone will come."

Ren bit down, _hard_ ,  at a spot on Hux's chest, wrangling a muffled cry from Hux, before he removed his hand.

"Christ, this is a bad idea," he said while he ground his erection against Ren's vast hands.

"Most good things in life are," Ren agreed.

It sounded ominous through the thick blur of arousal, but Hux elected to ignore it. _I'm already knee deep in this mess,_ he reasoned with himself as Ren licked a hot path from one spot he had bitten up to the side of his neck. _Might as well make the most of it._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, this turned into a long chapter, roughly 10.5k. I got a little carried away. 
> 
> Thank you for your kind comments and support. It is lovely seeing people's enthusiasm for this dumb AU!


	6. Chapter 6

Being the seasoned drinker that he was, Hux had enough experience to know that waking up after a bender was rarely pleasant. While it took quite a lot of booze to get him even a modicum of a buzz, it did not take much to leave him feeling terrible the next day- one of the charms of getting older, he was sure. A few drinks in lieu of dinner would leave him waking up with a twinge of a headache and aching eyes the next day. Hux had come to terms by year three of teaching and year two of his doctoral studies that he and Phasma were what some would derogatorily call 'functioning alcoholics', but all that meant was that he could struggle through the after effects and still be competent at his work. The rare nights he got truly shit-faced, though, those were the harbingers of deathly hangovers, and when Hux regained consciousness that following morning, he could feel the beginnings of bodily hell.  It always started the same; sensations would roll in like high tide, the surface feelings slowly washing over the conscious before other discomforts came crashing down like waves in a storm. The first thing Hux was aware of when he woke up was that his mouth tasted like death, foul with the rancid after tastes of alcohol and cigarettes that coated his teeth and tongue in a gummy film. His mouth was desert dry and his lips inexplicably sore. When he opened his eyes, the room was awash with a dull grey light, a blessing any other morning but hellishly bright to his sensitive eyes. His retinas burned and blurred his vision, and he violently jolted his head away from the light. The sudden movement sent his head spinning, his brain sloshing around in his skull, still marinating in alcohol from the night before, and in punishment of his carelessness set all his nerves and receptors alight. The rest of his body checked in with him, and all at once Hux was overwhelmed by sharp pains shooting down his neck and back, his stomach cramping in nausea and upheaving an acidic taste in his throat.

"Fuck," Hux groaned, turning away from the light and clutching his stomach, before he rolled his body against a very solid mass.

It was then that Hux's awareness spread beyond his physical turmoil, to the space around him. In the midst of the worst of his symptoms, he had failed to notice the body that laid beside him and tangled him in a net of gangly limbs, hemmed against a warm, broad chest. In the bed next to Hux was Kylo Ren, playing big spoon like it was just some normal morning.

For a moment all he could feel was confusion, and then Hux reeled as the memories of the night before hit him like a proverbial ton of bricks; Ren seated beside him at the bar table, eyes sly and hooded, licking his lips like Hux was a ripe fruit hanging high in the sky, the low hum of arousal that creeped up Hux's spine and out across his nerves like vines, crisscrossing him until all he could think of was Ren's grab-bag, mix matched features, his hands that could play impossibly wide chords whose sound dragged against him until he raw. He remembered the way Ren had framed him against the beat-up van, like Hux was a masterpiece that only Ren's arms could contain. Ren's lips, the soft things that he had previously paled behind Ren's sharp words and obscenities, how they mapped his neck and chest, leaving landmarks with his teeth and claiming the geography of his body like a brazened conqueror with no care for Hux's culture, for his body's history. He remembered a quick walk to an apartment, punctuated by short pauses where Ren would push him up against the decaying walls of old homes, to lap into his mouth and fist his hair like he owned him. Worst of all, the memory of Ren's hand on his cock, wringing out an orgasm and a yell from Hux, the way it shook him like an earthquake through a brick building, unsteady and ready to collapse in on itself, while Ren cooed at him softly, mouthing against his cheeks praises and worshipful words that Hux could not bring himself to examine.

Hux was definitely going to vomit. _How could I have let this happen,_ he thought angrily, _how could I have been so stupid-_

"You're freaking out," Ren mumbled against the back of his head, low and mirthful, snapping Hux out of the memories that were playing out behind his eyes in excruciating, Technicolor clarity. He was sure he had not stirred much, nor made any kind of indication that he was in the throes of a wicked crisis, but Ren seemed to possess an unworldly ability to read Hux's mind.

Hux grinded down on his teeth, hoping to keep his panicked breaths at bay. " _Of course_ I'm freaking out," he whispered, harshly.

Ren hummed and nuzzled his face against the back of Hux's neck, breathing in his hair and dragging his large nose up and down the sensitive flesh right behind his ear. Goosebumps raised across his skin, blooming open like a field of flowers beneath the sun's light, and Hux found himself wanting more of it, completely at odds with the panic racking through him. He did not draw himself away like he should have, or push Ren off him and scramble out of bed and as far as possible from one of the biggest mistakes he had made of late, but let Ren curl his arm tighter around his waist, and lay sluggishly in his grasp.

"Why are you freaking out?" Ren asked sleepily.

"Because I'm half-naked and hung over in my student's bed," Hux snapped. Never mind that beneath the after aches of too much alcohol, his body was heavy with warmth, sinking into Ren's soft mattress with a bone settling contentedness. Hux had always been weak to creature comforts, indulging when it was clearly wrong. And this was _wrong_ , so completely unethical, what had _he done_ -

"Ah, that," Ren said, nonchalant as if Hux had merely observed the colors of the man's walls (a pale mint green, far too soft of a color for Ren).

Hux let the moment linger, his alarm deescalating to exhaustion, suddenly too tired and overwhelmed to fight the softness of Ren's white down comforter, or the heavy leg that Ren lazily hooked around Hux's own limbs, trapping him further down into the mattress. It was easy to brush his panic aside like it was just another symptom of a night of bad drinking, the pressure in his head doing its best to suppress his propriety and let him wade in the warmth that radiated off of Ren and lapped calmly at his skin. He might have dozed- for how long he could not say- but when he came around again he found himself drowsier and his chest aching fiercely. _I shouldn't linger_ , he thought, willing himself to leave.

"I should go," he eventually whispered, unsure if Ren was still awake. His breaths were a calm pulse on the back of Hux's neck, breezing over his skin languorously.

Ren grumbled and bumped his head against Hux's shoulder, the gesture cat like and obstinate.

"No you shouldn't," Ren said, the first bits of his usual irritation coloring his voice, "It's raining out, and I don't feel like taking you home yet."

Hux had not noticed the rain before, but the soft pattering on the roof came into focus, deepening the soundscape of the room. Drops of rain leisurely meandered down the window, streaking the glass and casting odd grey shadows across Ren's carpet.

"So I'm trapped," Hux accused. Ren's body vibrated behind him from the force of a muffled chuckle.

"Looks like it," he said, and punctuated Hux's defeat with a kiss on the shoulder. "I'll make it worth it. I always buy my prisoners breakfast."

"What a kind, benevolent captor you are," Hux mumbled back sarcastically.

It would be easy to do as Ren said, to just drift back off and ignore the problem. But that's what got him into this mess, leaving the problem for the Hux of a later time to clean up after. Hux mustered up some of his bravery to gently roll over in Ren's arms, to bring his face up against the crook of his neck. He kept his eyes screwed shut for a moment, fearful and a little embarrassed in the light of day, before he tilted his head back. He was thoroughly unprepared when he opened his eyes. Ren was so _soft_ in the grey light, his hair scattered about him in a dark tangled halo and his cheeks rosy. He looked peaceful for once, the deepest lines of anger and resentment wiped clean from his face in the early morning. His odd angles, usually so sharp in their expressiveness, were blunted, and he looked young, far too young for Hux to be pressed up against, naked chest against naked chest. He looked nothing like the kid who harassed him in his office, lashed out after classes during bizarre fits.

"This is pretty terrible," Hux muttered as his trepidation resurfaced.

Ren cracked an eye open and lazily gazed at him, considering. Hux knew what he probably looked like; hair wild and matted in odd angles from day-old hair gel, complexion pale and the circle under his eyes huge like two dark saucers. The stress and worry from his week was compounded by the slowly daunting realization that Hux may have destroyed yet another career, garnished with a smatter of hangover, all of which were sure to do terrible things to his face. He felt like death.

The noise that left Ren's lips and ghosted over his forehead was gentle.

"It's really not," Ren said, lips quirking into a small grin, "I'm not going to go running off to the dean, or extort you for grades."

"People talk," Hux argued. "I'm sure your friends must have seen us leave together."

Ren shrugged dismissively, and shifted his hand lower to where the dip of Hux's back met the swell of his ass, and dragged his fingers around in light, tempting circles.

"I doubt it," he simply said, "and if they did they wouldn't go talking it about it either."

"You can't promise that," Hux said, resisting the urge to arch into Ren's touch. He was mildly alarmed by how calming it was, how his worry was banking and easily giving way to Ren's body heat.

"I'm going to get fired for this," Hux said, trying for solemn but failing with each staccatoed breath Ren's clever fingers elicited from him.

"Maybe," he said, "but you're already in my bed. What good will it do rushing out of here like some kind of embarrassed one night stand?"

"I can at least leave properly shamed and with some of my professional dignity," Hux said, distracted by the way Ren's fingers skimmed past the elastic of his boxer-briefs, fearless in his exploration.

"I think we did away with that last night," Ren said, assured, "what's done is done. If you're so sure you're going to get fired, you might as well make the most of it."

"And just continue digging myself into a deeper and deeper hole?" Hux asked.

Ren smiled, wicked and tempting, his canines coming down over his bottom lip, looking wolfish. "No, just stay in bed with me for the day. Earn that termination."

It was absurd, all of it, but Ren's easy confidence in the safety of his room was charming despite it. It punched a laugh out of Hux, and he ducked his head against Ren, hiding his face in the heat of his chest.

"You're impossible," Hux mumbled, defeated.

"Mmm, I think you've said that once or twice before," Ren agreed. Hux breathed out, letting the worry dissipate in the dark place between their two bodies, before Ren shifted. The younger man unwound his arms from Hux to snake a hand between them and find his chin. Tugging upwards, he brought Hux out of his hiding place and into the cold air. Hux went willingly, his body pliant in his exhaustion and loose from the warmth of the bed. He looked up at Ren and into his eyes, lined in a thick fringe of lashes, and felt inexplicably timid. Never mind that Hux had already shook under Ren's hands, painting his talented fingers with stripes of come and panting messily against his lips, the morning after was always intimidating. There was no buzz to make your worst statements clever, no darkness to shroud one's fumbling and hide the other person's gaze. Hux never made a habit of staying over, always managing to sneak out before the morning's first light.

"Hey," Ren said, and the simple syllable, melodious coming from Ren's strange voice, wound Hux up even tighter.

"Hi," Hux said back, hushed, worrying his lower lip. Ren smiled again, small and careening too far to the right of his face, and bent his head down to kiss Hux. It was chaste and nearly saccharine, and left Hux's lips buzzing with the electricity that always seemed to course through Ren. It was easy to forget in the heat of it that Ren was his student, that even indulging this was a threat to Hux's livelihood. All Hux could manage through his headache was Ren catching his bottom lip between his teeth, pulling slightly before releasing it and licking his way into Hux's mouth; everything else beyond the surface feelings of lust and exhaustion were suppressed. They stayed that way, slowly moving their lips against each other while their hands wandered, until Ren let out a long sigh, and tucked Hux back against his chest.

"Go back to sleep," he said easily, "after a good nap and some food, I'll allow you to freak out."

Hux hummed, the heat of arousal dying out of him as quickly as it had flared, and closed his eyes. Between one heavy breath and the next, he sunk back into a deep sleep.

 

* * *

 

When Hux awoke again he felt impossibly worse, his headache pulsing punishingly behind his temples and his body throbbing. He was alone in Ren's bed, swathed in too many sheets and cramping all over from dehydration. Hux had no idea where Ren had wandered off to, and he briefly worried he had been abandoned in Ren's strange apartment in the middle of town, with no car to get himself home. His stomach lurched violently at the thought, and Hux idly wondered if the university would mention his body was found in a student's apartment, or if they would just omit the details of his hangover induced death altogether in their alert to the faculty.

Before he could work himself up into a real frenzy and puke all over the pristine sheets, Ren burst through the door. He strode across the room in two long strides, naked except for a pair of indecently tight black briefs that left _nothing_ to the imagination, and his black hair wild around his face. Hux had not noticed the night before during their drunken escapades that Ren's body was not only large and imposing, but surprisingly athletic, with taut pale skin stretching over toned muscles that bespoke a dedicated workout regimen. Hux squinted his eyes suspiciously at Ren.

"Do you have a six pack?"  he asked, staring accusingly at Ren's trunk.

"Huh?" Ren breathed, startled out of his thoughts. He looked down at his stomach and ran his fingers over his sculpted abs. "Oh, I guess so. Might be an 8 pack if you squint hard enough."

Hux snorted. "I had no idea you were so built," he said, waving his hand at Ren's lithe body, "you're always hiding away in your black."

Ren sat beside Hux on the bed, and handed him a bottle of blue Gatorade, ignoring Hux's jab. "For the hangover," he said knowingly.

"I'm not hungover," Hux replied, acidic and scathing in his defensiveness. He snatched the bottle from Ren's hands and opened it eagerly.

Ren rolled his eyes. "Whatever you need tell yourself," he muttered.

The Gatorade was practically the fountain of life as far as Hux's body was concerned. The sweetness of it caught in his throat, mixing with his spit and coating it in a syrupy phlegm. He finished it in all of ten seconds and was left panting after. He looked up at Ren, who looked awfully vindicated and amused.

"So what now?" Hux asked.

"I was thinking we could get some burritos," Ren said, settling against the wall at the head of his bed and folding his arms, "there's a place down the street that makes these awesome California Burritos. Greasy enough to make you feel human again."

"Burritos aren't breakfast food," Hux pointed out around a scowl.

Ren grinned and bumped a knobby knee against Hux's side. "Yeah, you're right, but seeing as it's one in the afternoon, I think it will work."

"What?" Hux yelped, horrified that time had escaped him so. He shuffled out of the bed to the floor, and rummaged through the pile of his and Ren's clothes until he unearthed his cellphone. It blinked a gloomy red dot at him, the telltale sign of a low battery, and when he activated it, the screen was covered in alerts and notifications, mostly missed calls and texts from Phasma; in a dim white font, his phone read _1:03 PM._

"Fuck, there goes my day," Hux cursed before collapsing back onto Ren's bed and flinging an arm across his eyes. He was supposed to do research that day, write out a chunk of his dissertation, and cut down the daunting stack of papers and tests that still needed grading. Now, with half his day slept away, he was off his schedule for the next week, which meant he would have to dip into his precious weekend hours to make up for lost time. Hux turned his head and venomously glared from beneath his wrist at Ren.

"Why didn't you wake me?" Hux asked accusingly.  Ren blew some of his wayward hair out of his eyes like an aggravated horse.

"I didn't realize you needed to be woken up," he muttered, "I don't run a morning call service, you know."

"Ugh, fuck," Hux moaned, bringing both hands to his eyes  to smother out the offending light and the sight of Ren's relaxed, naked body. "I had work to do, but I guess I screwed that up by getting hammered on a Thursday night."

"I take it getting drunk and hooking up with students isn't how you usually spend Thursdays?" Ren quipped.

Hux peeked at Ren and gave him a baleful frown. "No, but then I've never had a student who has in the same week irritated me to the point of drinking, and then accosted me behind a bar," he said dryly.

Ren leered down at Hux wickedly, his face taking on the bearing of Cheshire Cat in his triumph, and Hux could feel his blush creeping back at how devilish the man looked.

"You're only giving me more incentive to misbehave," Ren said with a low, suggesting voice, and the implications sent Hux's stomach into flips that had nothing to do with his nausea.

"You're an insufferable asshole, you know?" Hux said, sounding like a compliment rather than the insult he had intended it to be.

Ren smirked, and raked his gaze momentarily over Hux's body before patting his stomach a little too hard and winding Hux. "Come on, there's time yet for me to annoy my way into your bed. Let's get some food before you hurl all over my floor."

Hux elected to not over analyze Ren's confidence that there would be a round two of whatever this had been, and weakly got up from the bed to gather his crumpled clothes. Ren hopped up off the bed and bounded over to an old wooden dresser, opening up drawers and revealing piles of unfolded clothes in the same dour shade. Hux peeked up and stared at Ren's strong back, muscles rippling as he shifted through his clothes. He followed the bumpy lined of his spine, down the small of his back and the curve of his firm ass, to strong, bowed legs and delicate ankles, and Hux decided that what Kylo may have lacked in interpersonal skills, he surely made up for with his body.

"Take a picture," Ren quipped without turning around, "it'll last longer."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Hux said, and looked away after one last lingering look at Ren's backside. "Where's your bathroom?"

Ren pivoted his body around to face Hux, and jerked his chin towards the door in the corner. "Right there.

"Thanks," Hux said before trudging inside. While Ren's room had been oddly tidy and austere in its furnishings, with just a bed, a dresser, and dingy looking electronic keyboard, his bathroom was a total disaster. It looked like some kind of war zone, with piles of towels and clothes strewn about the floor, leaving only a very narrow path to the toilet and shower. The counter was covered in half used tooth paste tubes and enough hair ties to last a small army of teenage girls. On the corner of the sink was a bright, floral looking liquid soap and a pink toothbrush. It was bizarre, all of it, and Hux was preoccupied with being disturbed by how uncoordinated Ren's aesthetics were, until he looked up in the mirror and saw his reflection.

Scattered across Hux's torso were angry purple bruises and red marks, some crescent shaped and others just asymmetric blotches, all obscene territorial symbols. They stood out starkly against his pale skin, and Hux grimaced at the thought of them turning a hideous yellow before they could fully fade. At the very least, Ren had the decency to only leave one small bite at the junction of his neck and shoulder; easily hidden by the collar of one of his button ups. Still, Hux was a grown man, not some sixteen year old who had just discovered necking and wanted to piss off their parents; it was unbecoming. Hux threw his shirt on, and was dismayed to find that the V cut revealed three of the angriest marks. _Bastard probably put those there on purpose,_ he thought.

"I look like I spent the night with a vampire," Hux accused when he stepped out of the bathroom. Ren was dressed in a baggie black hoodie and dark combat boots. Hux crooked an eyebrow. "Or a goth."

"Hey," Ren said, voice defensive, "what's wrong with black?"

"What's wrong with _colors_?" Hux countered.

Ren blinked at him, his face pulled into a sudden frown as if Hux had asked some complicated, philosophical question. Hux leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms while Ren thought it through.

"I suck at coordinating colors," Ren said finally. "Black is easier to match."

A practical answer from an impractical creature; Hux could respect that. "Fair enough."

Ren slapped his hands on his thighs and dismissed the whole conversation. "Food, now," was his Paleolithic growl.

Ren set two heavy hands on Hux's narrow shoulders and herded him out of his bedroom and into the living room. Hux had remembered stumbling through the apartment in the pitch black and being walked backwards with Ren's hands on his hips and mouth licking into his own, but that was it. The apartment was old, one of the many midcentury apartments that littered city amongst the aging homes. Hux counted three doors, which meant Ren had at least two more roommates, accounting for one of the doors leading to a bathroom. The living room was furnished like any undergraduate apartment would be, with second hand couches and a dining room table whose chairs did not quite match. The walls were lined with ratty movie posters and one of the university's giant flags (which was most likely illegally acquisitioned) hung over an old spinet piano.

"Charming," Hux said dryly.

"Yeah, yeah, we have great taste, _come on_ ," Ren said urgently as he continued to shove Hux towards the door. He seemed uncharacteristically rushed, and it made Hux suspicious.

"Where are your roommates?" Hux asked.

Ren looked up at the popcorn asbestos finish on the ceiling. "Oh, I'm sure they're in their rooms still."

A beat passed, Ren's hands insistently pushing on Hux's shoulder, before it clicked.

"Ren," he started, voice even in his malevolence, " _who_ are your roommates?"

Hux twisted his torso around and looked over his shoulder into Ren's dark, expressive eyes; so expressive, in fact, that they could not hide his jittered alarm despite his poker face.

"Oh my God," Hux whispered furiously in horror, "Rey lives with you, doesn't she?"

"And Finn," Ren said hurriedly, "and if we don't move, they'll come out any moment."

Ren moved them quickly through the rest of the living room and out the front door, slamming it behind them in his hurry.

"They probably heard us last night," Hux said, words tumbling out in his furious embarrassment, "I'm done for!"

Ren spun him around with a force and authority that made Hux feel years younger and lighter. His face was flushed and chagrined, but determined, and he gripped Hux tightly on the arms, grounding him. "Hey, no one is getting fired, even if they did hear us. But they didn't get home until this morning. I heard them come in around 6 am, which means they probably crashed at Poe's, and he dropped them off on his way to work."

Despite himself, Hux felt a little better, more assured that his screw up had not been that colossal. It was still pretty terrible, not to mention completely unethical, but at least it did not mean immediate termination. He sighed, the air rushing out of him quickly, and deflated in Ren's grasp.

"If you keep freaking out like this, you're going to ruin my 'Day After Sex' vibes," Ren chided playfully. He grinned down at Hux, smile lopsided and eyes crinkling, and Hux grimaced.

"We didn't have sex," Hux reminded him.

"Handjobs definitely count," Ren insisted, and then more pointedly, " _burritos_."

The rain had stopped some time ago, and the sky was a patchy blanket of dark grey clouds and brilliant blue. It was crisp out, far too cold to be traipsing around, but Hux kept close to Ren, leeching the body heat the man gave off recklessly like a small star. They passed the first part of the walk in companionable silence, and Hux wondered if Ren was giving him a moment to collect himself and smother his worry. Hux gazed at the old neighborhood, the dry wall of the houses and sidewalk darkened with patches of rain water, leaves and palm branches strewn haphazardly about the asphalt by the wind, and willed himself to be calm. If there was one thing Hux had once been adept at, it was managing the negative and moving forward. The ability to acknowledge mistakes and setback and strategize a way out of problems had made him an extremely successful CEO.

"So, what kind of music do you like?" Ren asked, breaking Hux away from his fragmented thoughts with his awkward attempt at small talk.

"That's a pretty broad question," Hux said with a shrug of his shoulders. And it was- Hux felt like he could not nail down his tastes to any one particular genre, just stumbled upon whatever would pass by and catch his ear.

"We all have a favorite," was Ren's reply, his face very serious as if they were talking about the state of the national debt and not subjective tastes.

"How can anyone have a favorite song?" Hux countered, "when there's literally millions out there?"

Ren mulled the thought over, his mouth screwing about in angry knots and flattening, tasting Hux's words for himself. "Ok, I'll make it easier. Do you've got a band you like?"

Hux tried to remember the last band he had purposefully gone to see and not by happenstance at a bar, and he realized it had been a good ten years. _When did I get so old,_ he wondered disdainfully. He shuffled through a few names in his head, artists he had listened to and enjoyed when he was younger, and realized almost all the bands were exclusively from the dying days of the late '90s and the early 2000's.

"I'm going to sound really old if I name anyone in particular," Hux said vainly.

Ren huffed in irritation, lolling his head back and up towards the sky. "Are you always this hard to get to know?"

"Look, music isn't my specialty," Hux huffed, "you don't see me asking you questions on Business operations or theory."

"Yeah, but business isn't a universal thing," Ren argued, "Like, sure, we all buy from businesses, but we don't all _run_ a business. Everyone listens to music, you don't have to be a professional to like it."

Hux brought a hand to the bridge of his nose and tried to pinch off his pounding headache at the source. If he was going to survive until he had some food in his stomach, he was going to have to appease Ren. Hux thought about the last thing he had listened to on his laptop, a few days ago when he was making dinner, pasta boiling on the burner and a sauce simmering.

"Ok, I like Jazz?" Hux said, hoping that Ren would not drill him too hard about the particulars.

"Jazz?" he intoned, inflection flat. Ren's eyes narrowed and face turned furiously red,  clearly disturbed by Hux's admission.

"Is there a problem with jazz?" Hux asked.

"No, it's just, of _course_ you would like jazz. I bet you listen to it so you feel like you've got taste," Ren said sourly, shoving his large hands roughly into the worn pocket of his hoodie. "My uncle is a jazz pianist."

"You're family sounds like a cornucopia of artists," Hux replied, voice dry and unimpressed.

Ren snorted and frowned further, shaking away the dark locks of hair that were carried in the wind and blown into his eyes.

"Nah, my parents aren't musicians," Ren said. "My mom was trained as a child, but she didn't keep with it."

"What did she end up doing?" Hux asked, his interest piqued, wondering what two kind of people would need to breed to produce something as unlikely as Kylo Ren.

"She's a politician," Ren said evenly.

"Anyone I would know?"

Ren leveled Hux a very serious look, and said, "Probably," before picking up the pace. Hux shuffled after him, undeterred and determined.

"Local municipality?" Hux asked.

"No," Ren replied tartly.

"State legislator?"

" _No_ ," Ren snapped, clearly getting annoyed, but his discomfort only served to drive Hux forward. He would figure it out, and if it meant annoying Ren in the process, then that was even better.

"So something Congressional? Is she senator? I _bet_ she's a senator," Hux declared smugly. He had known some senators back in the old days, had often wined and dined them in unofficial capacities for political favors. Ren had all the telltale signs of a politician's wayward child; neglected and unkempt, always lashing out at authority whenever the opportunity presented itself. If he had the kind of money to throw around, Hux would easily bet Ren had been a lonesome child, always at his piano, alone in his room, while his parents were off campaigning at official functions.

Ren slammed on the metaphorical breaks without so much as a warning, causing Hux to smash against his stone wall of a body. Hux clipped his chin on a muscled shoulder and cursed while his feet twisted below him. Ren turned on him, his body moving inhumanely fast for having spent the night drinking, and gripped Hux angrily on his bicep.

"We're here," he said grumpily, "and no more questions about my mom."

Hux blinked from the whiplash, then looked around himself. He had been too preoccupied with needling and prodding at Ren that he had not noticed where they were going. They were on the town's Broadway, which ran East to West, in what the town had dubbed the 'Vintage District'. It was not so much vintage as it was kitschy, with second-hand stores selling overpriced retro cloths and outdated furniture, and specialty shops peddling various specificities like vegan chocolates and hand knit Peruvian sweaters. Dotted amongst the shops were hip restaurants that never had enough seating and served strange cocktails and pretentious beers. He looked from the brightly painted store fronts, and back to Kylo Ren.

"You live in the Vintage District?"

Ren colored and crossed his arms, obviously embarrassed. "It was Rey's idea."

It was Hux's turn to snort inelegantly at Ren, throwing in an exaggerated eye roll for good measure. "You two are such hipsters."

The restaurant was a small diner that sold all sorts of casual fare. The linoleum was peeling upwards, and the place was decorated in a vaguely beachy style, with old photos of local surfers tacked all over the walls and surf boards nailed to the ceiling. The menu items were printed on sheets of laminated paper and posted unceremoniously on the wall behind the counter, all flashing enticing images of various foods ranging from classic deli items like pastrami on rye, intimidatingly huge hamburgers, brisket sandwiches with collard greens, to large selection of burrito combinations Hux would have never guessed existed. The place could not seem to pick a theme for the food, and the menu was so large that Hux would have advised the restaurant to narrow down their selections if he had been hired to consult for them, but the restaurant was packed with people that looked much like himself and Ren; in day old clothes, rumpled and recovering from the night before with as many carbs as they could shove in their mouths. Hux scanned the restaurant, paranoid that any of the younger customers could be one of his students, present or former. He did not recognize any of their faces, but it did not lessen his worry, especially as Kylo loomed in his personal space, brushing up against his side as he stared up at the menu items.

"Their California burrito is _really_ good," Ren mumbled in reverence, entranced by the photo of a massive burrito, "I mean, burritos are great on their own, but this thing has French Fries in it."

"Is there anything here that adults can eat?" Hux grunted.

Ren looked down at him with a genuinely offended expression, lips comically pulled down into a wide frown and eyes blown open with shock. He spluttered indignantly until the cashier asked for their orders.

"Uh yes, I'll have a-" Hux tried to order.

"Two California Burritos with guacamole, thanks," Ren cut in.

"No, I don't want one!" Hux hissed.

Ren scowled at him fiercely, a caricature of a wronged man out for retribution, and said, "you insulted the best burrito in the world, and now you're literally going to eat your words."

"You can't make me eat it," Hux said petulantly.

Ren took a wad of crumpled cash out of his back pocket and handed it to the pretty cashier who looked faintly disturbed by their exchange.

"Then you're not eating," Ren said before hulking off to find a table, leaving Hux behind and fuming. The cashier gave him a sympathetic look before handing him a numbered plastic placard to prop up on their table. Hux grabbed it and stomped after Ren to sit beside him at a table that would be too small for two normal individuals, let alone people of Hux’s and Ren's considerable height. Hux sat in a rickety plastic chair beside Ren, and was vindictively pleased that his own knees just fit beneath the plywood table while Ren's bumped up against the gum coated bottom.

"You are so fucking annoying," Hux spat at him.

"And you're a know it all," Ren said back, "I think I liked you better when I was drunk."

"I could say the same thing about you!” Hux said, completely exasperated at the situation. It was hard to believe Hux had even found Ren coy and charming the night before, and he chalked it up to the deadly combination of liquor and Ren's rock hard body.

"Alright, let's make a deal. If you absolutely hate it, I will take you straight home, no funny business. If you do end up liking it, which you will, you spend the rest of the day with me," Ren wagered.

Hux considered his options, confident in his refined palate. "Ok, sounds like a safe bet."

"No lying to me," Ren warned, waving a long finger in the air forebodingly, "or you're walking yourself home."

"I'm not a liar," Hux sniffed, nose stuck in the air, "and I resent the implication."

Ren sat back in his chair and crossed his arms with the ease and assurance of a man who thought he was going to win big. "Good. I can't wait. I've got all kinds of errands to run today."

"It's a shame that you'll be doing them alone," Hux countered, "after you take me  home."

"And where's that, exactly?" Ren asked.

It had not entirely dawned on Hux until that very moment that Ren taking home would have to entail him actually knowing where Hux lived.

"I live in Bluff Heights," Hux said reluctantly.

"Not too far from here," Ren said brightly, enthralled by their proximity. Hux cringed at Ren's enthusiasm, and contemplated his chances of just having Ren drop him off at his street corner. Admittedly, the odds did not look too favorable. "What are the cross streets?" Ren pressed eagerly.

Appearing suddenly like an intervention from the heavens, the burritos materialized, and Hux silently rejoiced for the moment having dodged the topic of where he lived. The pretty cashier placed their food gingerly between the two of them, and offered a timid smile before shuffling away. Hux eyed the burritos wearily; they were obscenely large and practically bulging around their innards. Steam wafted up from them in thick, enticing ribbons. Hux looked up from the offending burritos to Ren, who was leaning eagerly over the table and fixing Hux with an intense stare.

"After you," Ren said waving a large hand over their food in invitation.

Hux picked up his burrito, hot in his hands, and stared at it for a moment, sizing it up wearily. Ren could not contain his anticipation and rocked in his chair like an excited child about to watch their friend do something disgusting on a dare. With an exaggerated sigh for Ren's benefit, Hux brought the burrito up to his mouth, and did his best to unhinge his jaw around the huge thing as he took a bite.

To his dismay, it was amazing, just as incredible as Ren had described. The flour tortilla was freshly made, and its soft, chewy texture was a pleasant juxtaposition against the crispy fries within. The pieces of carne asada were tender, and the whole thing was brimming with gooey cheese, sour cream, and the best guacamole Hux had tasted in a long time. It was greasy in all the right kinds of ways, and Hux could feel the dredges of his hangover begin to recede away amidst his culinary revelation.

Ever prideful, Hux made a considering noise and tried his best to mask his enthusiasm as he set the burrito back into the plastic basket it had arrived on.

"Well?" Ren demanded.

Hux swallowed, and schooled his features as he said, "It is adequate."

"You love it!" Ren howled in victory, easily seeing through Hux's act.

"I didn't say that," Hux complained, but the huge bite he took out of the burrito undermined his words. Ren grabbed his own food and tore into like a rabid animal, the contents spilling all over his hands.

"See, I know a thing or two," Ren garbled out around a mouthful of food. Hux was simultaneously endeared and repulsed by Ren's terrible table manners.

"Sure, you know something about burritos," Hux listed, "you know how to play piano, and how to push all my buttons. Commendable life skills."

Ren laughed wide mouthed and displaying half chewed chunks of food for all the world to see. Hux cringed in horror at the display.

"And what do you know?" Ren countered, voice mirthful and smile light, "you're just a mean business teacher. Your only skillset seems to be an unending well of hatred for your students and the scary ability to drink a lot of liquor."

Hux scowled at Ren and waved his half eaten burrito at him accusingly. "I have my Masters, you know," he said before taking another bite.

"So? Have you ever actually put it to use?" Ren asked.

"Yes," Hux said simply, arranging his face back to something neutral. Ren gazed at him with half lidded eyes, dark under a finger of lashes, and furrowed brows, the _go on, you idiot_ left unspoken.  Hux knew instinctually, the way an animal does when it is cornered, that there was no getting out of this conversation.

"I used to run a business," Hux said carefully.

"What kind of business?" Ren asked, abandoning his burrito completely in his interest. Hux followed suit and set his food down as well to prop his elbows on the crowded table and rest his chin in an upturned palm.

"A little of this, a little of that," he said vaguely, "it was a technology conglomerate of sorts."

Ren nodded to himself, satisfied for now with Hux's barebones reply, and then asked the question Hux had been dreading, "Why did you stop doing it?"

The answer, of course, would be far too humiliating to discuss over three dollar burritos, so Hux opted with a half-truth. "Oh, it just wasn't my thing anymore. It was time to explore new options," Hux said as casually as he could. Ren stared at him, dissecting Hux's words before he hummed out a breath, melodious and satisfied with Hux's reply.

"Good enough of an answer for now," Ren said as he picked up his burrito again. "I'll get the full story out of you someday."

Hux grimaced and told him, "I doubt it."

They ate the rest of their meal in contemplative silence, both too absorbed with their thoughts to hold any kind of conversation. Not for the first time, Hux wondered what Ren's end game was. He glanced at the young man, chewing obscenely around too big bites of food, and tried to determine what Ren wanted from him. If he was any other student, sleeping with their teaching should have been enough. Hux remembered from his undergraduate days the students who prowled after their professors like they were exotic trophies, something to fuck just for the rights to say they had. Ren, for all his absurdities and cutting words, did not seem like the type of man to pursue someone as a game. Hux had doubted Ren's ability to even flirt up until the moment he laid the heavy combination of his gnarling smile and clever words on Hux; Ren was certainly no Don Juan.

But what exactly did Ren want then, if Hux was not a casual conquest to check off the list?

Ren cleared his throat, and looked pointedly between Hux and the remnants of Hux's burrito, before asking, "are you finished?"

Hux shook his head, dislodging his persistent thoughts, and shoved his scraps towards Ren. "Have at it," he said. Ren eagerly pawed at the food and inhaled it in the blink of an eye.

"Did your parents never feed you or something?" Hux asked, sarcastic.

Ren patted his stomach, not even distended in the slightest from the huge meal, and grinned at Hux. "I'm being polite today. Next time, I'll order two for myself."

_Next time_ , echoed around Hux's head, bouncing off one wall of his skull to the other. He felt the answer to his question crawling up his skin, and knew it was time to make the quick escape he should have done the moment he saw Ren up on that stage in his hideous green shirt.

"Well," Hux said hurriedly, staggering up from the table brusquely, "that was a good meal."

Ren launched up from the table and gathered their empty baskets to bus on their way out. "Yeah," he said, face clouded with confusion at Hux. They shuffled out of the restaurant and back into the cold air, the clouds gathering and knitting back together into a dark blanket. Hux looked around himself, at the crowded sidewalk and the pedestrians who easily slid around them like a river around two boulders, and then up to Ren. He stood next to Hux, openly watching him, before giving Hux a timid smile, the corners of his mouth careful not to pull too far either way. Hux felt warmth prickling at his arms and his chest, and  told himself to put distance between them now, to not confuse this any further than it already had been.

"Thanks for lunch," Hux began, words even and cautious. Ren shrugged his shoulders and ducked his head to the side, away from Hux's gaze.

"Not a problem," he returned. "You're welcome."

The moment stretched heavily in the silence that followed, both waiting on the other to speak, before Hux said, "well, I better be getting home."

Ren's placid face went livid in a flash, and he narrowed his eyes over a predatory smile.

"Oh no you don't," Ren said, hands flying from the pocket of is hoodie to his hips, "you lost the bet, remember?"

"The bet?" Hux repeated, scowling.

"Yes, if you ended up liking the burrito, you had to run errands with me," Ren reminded him. "And I've got _lots_ of errands to run."

Hux scrubbed his hands over his face, frustration at Ren, at himself, at his mess of a life sparking out of him.

"I'm not getting out of this, am I?" Hux groaned.

"No," Ren said, smug and assured, "not that easily."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, sorry for the wait on this chapter. Life got in the way; traveling, auditions of my own, and lots of work. Thank you for your kind comments and encouragement, and I am so sorry I have not gotten to replying yet! I will very soon. 
> 
> I'm over on tumblr at celloing.tumblr.com, please stop by if you'd like! I'm always looking for kylux people to chat with.


	7. Chapter 7

The rain had not let up all weekend, and on Sunday morning, Hux opened his eyes to his bedroom, dim and grey from the storm outside. He laid in bed, under layers of quilts and sheets, buried in their warmth, and listened to the rain softly patter against his window.  He needed to get up, write, grade papers, clean, just do _something_ , but he could not move from his spot in the bed, anchored down by the anxiety sitting heavy in his stomach.

Hux stared at his ceiling, replaying over and over again his interactions with Ren; the way the man had held him tightly in bed that Friday morning, his petulant determination and self-assurance that this was not some sort of one off mistake, his inexhaustible enthusiasm as he dragged Hux on his 'errands'.

The errands seemed less planned ventures than simply Ren's whims, as they wandered down the streets of the Vintage District in the rain and popped into random shops. Ren led them into a dry cleaners and picked up his concert black, complete with tails and a white cummerbund . Hux could barely imagine Ren wearing normal outfits, let alone stuffy traditional clothing that constricted his large body into tight, starchy confines.

"I look like a penguin in it," Ren complained as he paid his bill to the kind, old woman who ran the shop.

"I am sure you look like a very dignified penguin," Hux said. Ren colored a bright pink, his nose practically glowing in his embarrassment, and Hux found himself fascinated despite himself, and determined to keep making him blush.

They stopped off at a kitsch record store, with aisles after aisles of colorful cardboard records slips, and Hux was entirely unsurprised to discover that Kylo had a vinyl collection.

"Ren, I can't even remember using vinyl, and I'm older than you," Hux scoffed.

Ren glared at Hux and asked, "How old are you even?"

"I'm thirty-three," Hux said. "How old are you?"

"Twenty four."

Christ, he was just a child. "My point stands," Hux said.

"Ok, calm down old timer," Ren had muttered, and pushed his dry cleaning onto Hux so he could grab an armful of records from the half-off  bin.

The whole afternoon had been like that, easy conversation that was peppered with information casually given, breezily exchanged. Hux had learned that Ren was only taller by a mere two inches ("Really?" Ren had said in mock astonishment, "You look so much smaller than me"), that he had a guilty pleasure for trashy reality TV shows ("I watch Dance moms with Rey and Poe, it's our weekly ritual"), and that he had been playing piano since he was five. Hux had tried to be tight lipped, to limit their interactions as a belated crisis control, but Ren's genuine interest wedged itself in Hux's determination, cracking his resolve. He found himself at times sharing little things, answering Ren's questions. When they finally had found Ren's car- blessedly parked two blocks away from the apartment by Poe - Hux had told Ren of his pitiful pots of herbs that grew on his windowsill, his dissertation subject, and his favorite movies (an odd mix of Sci-Fi and Musicals).

By the time Ren drove Hux back to his apartment, it was late afternoon. Hux had briefly considered asking Ren to drop him off on a corner so he could slink away without Ren knowing where he lived, but his practically outweighed his paranoia. Much to his dismay, Ren easily found a parking spot, and insisted on walking him up to his door. The rain was picking up, harder than the steady, light drops that had accompanied them all afternoon, and they were both sopping by the time they reached his door. Ren looked pitiful, his wild hair dripping and stuck to his face, shivering like a wet dog in a bath, but his smile was bright, all teeth. Something about his wet hair and the droplets of rain that caught on his eyelashes and sparkled beneath the yellow street lamps, like suspended diamond, made Hux's stomach flip. He felt 15 years younger, younger than Ren, in how nervous Ren's unconventional beauty made him shiver and flutter.

"So," Ren said, staring back down at him, cheeks rosy in the cold, "it's been fun."

"Yes, it has been," Hux replied, running a hand through his own wet hair, tangling his fingers, anchoring.

"We should do it again sometime," Ren suggested, cheekily.

"Careful, Ren," Hux warned, "don't push your luck. Do I need to remind you that I'm your teacher?"

Ren rolled his eyes, and stepped in closer. "You're my teacher until December."

"And?"

"And, the semester is halfway over. I can wait it out," Ren said, and he settled his two large hands on Hux's hips, drawing him in and closer still. Hux put his hands on Ren's chest, in attempt to push him away, but he found his palms stuck, tingling against the places the wet fabric clinged to Ren's body.

"Ren," he pleaded, "I won't lie and say I didn't enjoy myself, but you understand that this could ruin my career, don’t you?"

Ren nodded, his face careening down and in with each shake.

"So," Hux continued, insistent, "perhaps we enjoy what happened and try to move forward?"

Hux watched as Ren's eyes dimmed a little, disappointment drawing his smile in. He shrugged, and bent his head down in defeat. "Sure, prof. Whatever you say."

"Ok," Hux said, and patted Ren's chest, hoping he would get the hint to break away. "I'm glad we're on the same page."

Ren looked back to Hux, stared in his eyes with a steely glint that spelled trouble, and dipped his head in close, bringing his lips in a breath away from Hux's. Despite the cold rain coming down hard and soaking Hux, his skin felt aflame.

"Well," Ren said, smile back, if only smaller than before, "guess I'll let you go."

"Ok," Hux mumbled dumbly.

"See you in class," Ren said, and then kissed Hux. It was a harder, hotter kiss than the ones from before. Ren kissed him like he was trying to prove something to Hux, and he felt his arguments start to breakdown, like paper in water, as Ren nipped sharply at his lips, licked into his mouth and crashed their bodies together. Ren trailed his lips down his jaw, open mouthed and lapping at the rain drops that streamed down Hux's cheek, and all Hux could do was grip his shoulders tightly, and pant into the air.

Abruptly, Ren pulled away and took a step back, putting space between them and leaving Hux off balance. They stared at each other, both gasping and wide eyed.

"Well then," Ren said, "Have a nice evening."

"Likewise," Hux muttered.

And then Ren was down the walkway, hurrying to his car and not bothering to throw a single parting glance to the man he left on the apartment steps. Hux watched him climb into his beat up van, and drive off down the road. He scrubbed a hand against his jaw, his fingers buzzing against the places Ren's lips were only minutes before, and then turned around and let himself into his apartment.

That had been Friday night, and all he accomplished after was a hot bath in which he stared at the black mold growing on his bathroom ceiling, before he succumbed to his madness and jerked off. He tried not to think about Ren at all, but when all was said and done, his come was floating in milky strings in the bath while Ren's name echoed against the walls. He collapsed afterwards into his bed, naked and exhausted, and slept hard until noon the next day.

On Saturday he finally mustered up the courage to check his phone, almost dead and brimming with calls and texts from Phasma. He shot her off a ' _Alive, if not particularly well'_ text, before he hid his phone in a drawer like the coward he was, and left his apartment in favor of walking around aimlessly, trying his best to keep his mind devoid of any real thought.

He ended up down at the shore, watching the waves crash on the sand, merciless and unrelenting. He was fascinated by the changing patterns of sand, how the waves altered the coastal line with each break. Hours later, when he finally got up on numb legs from the wet cement bench he sat on, the shore was almost unrecognizable to his eyes. Hux wandered after that, up the beach and to the place where the rushing river that cut through the South land dumped into the port, and watched the tankers stacked high with cargo containers in a rainbow of colors glide in and out of the docks. By the time he came back home, it was dark and he was tired enough to collapse into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

On Monday morning, Hux woke up early and considered canceling his classes for the day. Midterms had wrapped up the week before, and he could get away with it, send off a vague email about family emergencies and no one would be the wiser. But that risked Phasma _literally_ knocking down his door and interrogating him, and he was not ready yet for that confrontation. He thought about Ren barging into his office hour and accosting him like he usually did, and grimaced. He opened up his email and sent out a message to all his students.

_Office hours for the week have been cancelled. If you have an emergency, email me and we can schedule an appointment._

-  _B.  Hux_

 _There_ , Hux thought vindictively, _let's see Kylo work his way around that one._

Hux dressed in a high collared button up, hoping to hide the bruise Ren had left at the place where his neck and shoulders flowed together, and ditched the usual sweater vest for a jacket and a strategically placed scarf. He was taller than most of his students, and was sure that the yellow and purple marks were well hidden, but Hux was never one to do anything by half measures, and made sure not an inch of skin was exposed.

The rain had finally broke, but the air was still cold and the wind wild. Hux walked around campus that morning to his first class feeling like a jittery first year student. He looked over his shoulders surreptitiously, scanning the lower quad for a tuft of wildly styled black hair and broad shoulders, despite having never previously run into Ren on his way to his morning classes. Still, he was nervous, and tried to blend into the morning rush of students, hoping he could manage it to the _BA_ unseen. He almost made it to, one hand on the front doors and a sigh of relief escaping him, before a strong hand gripped him his shoulder in a vice.

"Oh no you don't," Phasma snarled behind him. She dragged him away from the entrance and slammed him to the brick walls, one strong arm pinned across the front of his chest.

"Lynn," Hux said shakily, "the fuck are you doing?"

"Don't you Lynn me, _Brendol_ ," she snapped, "I take you out Thursday night and then you disappear and I'm convinced that you've been murdered and left dead in a ditch, and all you send me is one text two days later with no explanation?"

Phasma was truly frightening when she was angry, and Hux usually delighted in seeing her fury turned on whiney students and cross faculty members, but it was a horrifying experience all together to have her looming over him with her beautiful brows bunched together over fiery blue eyes and a snarl on her face. Hux knew he had to defuse the situation lest he end up a greasy smear on the pavement.

"Look, I think I blacked out that night," Hux lied.

Phasma leveled him a look that made him sweat. "You blacked out? Since when does that ever happen?"

"I know, how weird, right?" Hux babbled, "But the next day I woke up in my bed with a huge Uber bill. I must have just wandered off and then went home. I had the worst hangover the next day, and you know, we're not getting any younger. I don't think my body can handle that kind of drinking anymore."

All a blatant lie, of course; Margarita Mondays were testament enough to the fact that Hux could drink his weight in booze and still manage consciousness. Phasma assessed him in her unsettling way, scanning her eyes over his face and body, and Hux was suddenly grateful that he had a scarf on; she would have spotted the hickey the moment she cornered him.

"You blacked out and called yourself an Uber?" Phasma asked, voice incredulous and face blank in her disbelief.

"Must have," Hux said, voice hitching high.

Phasma stared at him for a few seconds more before she released him and took a step back.

"You're a terrible liar, Hux," she said, "but since you're clearly safe I'm not going to push it. Just text me next time you decide to wander off so I know what to tell the police when they find your cold, dead body, or else I'll kill you myself."

"Yes ma'am."

They walked into the _BA_ together, and idly began to chat as if Phasma had not threatened bodily harm on him.

"What did you do all weekend anyways?" Phasma asked, "Dissertating?"

"Pretty much," another lie, "and some grading."

"Sounds extremely boring."

"What did you do?" Hux asked, eager to direct the conversation away from him.

They chatted all the way to Phasma's classroom about her Crossfit filled weekend and her adventure in trying to track down a 'cute girl' they had met while they were out (uncomfortably, Hux thought it may have been Ren's cousin she was internet stalking). By the time they had to part, Phasma was in a markedly better mood and looked less inclined to smack him.

"Well," she said, "have a good day."

"Thanks." Hux turned to walk up the hall and to the stairs.

"Oh and Hux?" she called after him. He pivoted on his feet and turned to her. "Don't let Kylo Ren ruin your week again, ok?"

Hux did not try to stop the grimace that marred his face. He groaned, "I'll try not to."

Satisfied and returning to her default setting of enjoying Hux's misery, Phasma went back into her classroom.

The day passed by easily enough. Hux was too preoccupied with his mounting horror to really snap at his students, and they were too grateful at having an uncharacteristically subdued teacher to push his boundaries. He avoided his office and sequestered himself into one of the administration building's lounges that had no student access. He even managed to distract himself and make some progress on a consultation, before he looked at the clock and realized it was time to head up to the _Arts_ building.

He trudged up campus, warily glancing around him paranoia, but managed the walk completely undisturbed. When he reached the classroom, two minutes before start, he found every seat taken up, including Ren and Rey in the very back.

Hux tried not to look at Ren, he really did, but once his eyes settled on him, he could not stop. Ren was leaning back against the wall, his head tilted slightly up and eyes staring down over his cheekbones at Hux. His face was passive and his hair pulled back into a simple, conservative ponytail. When their eyes met, Ren gave a tiny, private nod that no one else in the room caught, and smiled.

 _I'm fucked,_ Hux thought in dismay as he smiled back.

"Ok, let's begin."

If someone had asked Hux what he lectured on, he would not be able to recall a single word; all he remembered were the few times his eyes had rested on Ren as he scanned the room, the satisfied smirk and the mischievous on face. He talked up until the last few minutes of class, and assigned reading and an essay. A handful of students accosted him after his dismissal, already complaining about their work loads and the assignments due date. The class emptied as he argued with them, shooting down their requests for extensions and rolling his eyes at their excuses. By the time they left, the room was empty, and Hux felt all his tension and worries unwind and leave his body on a shaky breath. _Maybe Ren won't bother me after all_ , he thought hopefully.

He left the building and walked out feeling lighter than he had since Thursday's drunken incident, until he came down the stairs to find Ren at the foot of it, tapping on his phone. It took all of Hux's willpower not to shout a curse at him.

"Hey Professor," Ren said, "I've got a few questions about that essay."

"I highly doubt that," Hux muttered.

Ren shrugged and gave him a side eyed smile as he fell in stride beside Hux.

"Hey, just want to make sure my work is satisfactory," Ren said, before giving him a sly wink.

There was that headache Hux had been bracing for. It pounded behind his eyes, right where his loathing for Ren had made itself home.

"Ren," he sighed.

"Chill, Hux," Ren said, "I actually do mean my essay."

"Couldn't you have emailed me about this?" Hux asked, "I am a little busy today."

"I noticed that. You cancelled office hours."

"Yes I did," Hux confirmed, opening the door and letting them both out into the cold. "I had meetings; _have_ meetings, that is."

"Hmm, sure, meetings," Ren echoed, unconvinced. "Or you're just avoiding me."

"I can't imagine why I would purposefully avoid a student," Hux said sourly.

"Oh I can think of a few reasons," Ren said cheekily.

Hux stopped them underneath the tearless branches of an old willow tree at the far end of the quad, just before the steep hill that would lead to the _BA_ and the safety of Hux's office. He peered around, checking for any stray students or, God forbid, faculty, before he scowled at his student. 

"What are you doing?" Hux asked in a low, cutting voice.

"You can't cancel your office hours forever," Ren huffed.

"Try me," Hux dared, though he knew Ren was right.

"I'm not going to do anything untoward," Ren said softly, aware of Hux's skittishness. "I just want to spend time."

"Entirely inappropriate," Hux snapped. "We had this discussion already. You're my _student_."

"I know, and we _fucked_ ," Ren said. Hux jumped at the word. "I think the professional boundary has been crossed and effectively nulled."

"Ren, this is my _job_. I don't make a habit of getting involved with students. This is the first time I've ever done something like this, and believe me I'm completely mortified that I did."

It was Ren's turn to flinch; he glared down at Hux, embarrassed and teetering towards anger.

"You don't mean that," Ren growled.

"I do," Hux insisted, stepping in close to glare into Ren's eyes. "Now it may have been fun, but I am not jeopardizing my career over moody student who can't handle _no._ "

"You know what I think?" Ren asked, "I think you _like_ me, and you're using the student thing as an excuse to put up walls."

" _What?!_ " Hux practically yelled. "That's the complete opposite of what I said. Are you stupid?"

"I'm not, but _you_ are," Ren barked.

"Oh my God, you are _so_ frustrating," Hux said, throwing his arms up in exasperation.

"Yeah, and you _like it_ ," Ren said.

Hux did not like it one bit; he wanted to kick him in the shins and yell out every single frustration at Ren until he was hoarse from it.

"Just leave me alone," Hux begged, bringing his hands to his head and pulling at his hair.

"No," Ren said petulantly, "Not until you give me an actual reason why I should."

Hux stood there, blocked by Ren and at an apparent impasse.

"Because it's irresponsible," Hux said, "and because I don't know you well enough to risk it."

Ren nodded. "Then get to know me," he pleaded.

"Earn it," Hux demanded while pinching the bridge of his nose. "Show me that you've even a modicum of discretion in you, by not, I don't know, reminding me about our hook up _while we are campus._ Because right now, I'm doubting that you can even keep a secret by the way you're all but yelling it to the world."

Ren looked properly scolded for a moment, a big puppy blinking at Hux with hurt eyes and his bottom lip jutted out, before he composed himself.

"Fair enough," Ren said with a curt nod. "But when can I see you again?"

Hux rolled his eyes. "I don't know Ren, when I resume office hours?"

"Fine," Ren said. "But don't keep cancelling them. I'll come and find you if I have to."

"Please don't," Hux all but begged.

"If I can be discreet, and do it on your terms, will you consider going out some time, off campus?" Ren asked.

Hux knew this was courting disaster, but he could not stay strong against Ren's earnestness, his persistence, the way he stared at him intensely like his answer would be the undoing of him.

"Fuck," Hux cursed.

Ren's smile was bright, the sun parting through the clouds, blinding in its enthusiasm. "You won't regret it, Hux."

"I already do," he returned mournfully. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH BOY GUYS, how is everyone doing? I am so sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. I have been travelling like crazy and busy with work in between trips. I'm glad I finally managed to find some time to sit down and write. There are about four more chapters left to this story, maybe five if I include an epilogue. I plan on hustling and finishing it all up within this next month before I am out of town again, and the next few chapters should be much longer.
> 
> Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement. I lot of you have been very patient and have sent me really uplifting messages on tumblr about your enthusiasm. I'm glad to have such kind and loving readers. I hope this is worth the wait.
> 
> As always, you can find me at [my tumblr](http://celloing.tumblr.com/). Come chat about Kylux with me!


	8. Chapter 8

Ren only lasted one week.

After their negotiation on Monday, Ren kept to his word and stayed for the most part out of sight. Hux did not run into him before or after class, lurking out in the hallways like he had originally feared. Ren showed up and sat primly in the back of class with Rey, and despite a few heated glances that Hux tried his best to ignore, he managed to behave. Hux's anxiety eased with each passing day and he thought that maybe they would get along with life, that Ren's infatuation would give way to boredom and he would go off and torment some other poor professor.

It all crumbled the following week when Hux resumed office hours. Monday arrived and Hux walked the campus relatively unconcerned, Ren far from his thoughts. It was a standard day, really; Phasma bodily assaulted him on the quad, his students were automatons who stared blankly at him as he explained basic economic theory. He inhaled five cups of coffee within three hours and had a pleasant, if not slightly tweaked out interaction with the Dean of the department, Adam Krennic. He was a handsome man, late forties and stern in a way that reminded Hux of some of his instructors when he was in military school as boy. His silver hair and tendency to dress in pristine white gave him an ethereal quality, and Hux admired the lines of his face and his light, controlled voice.

"Ah, Brendol," he had said when they passed each other in the narrow halls of the _Faculty Office_ building, "A moment?"

"Yes, Dr. Krennic?" Hux asked.

Some of his colleagues had forbidden Hux from using their title because of his standing as a professor, citing the fact that he would be a miserable PhD like them soon enough. Krennic had made no such overtures.

"I read through the revisions you sent me, and I'm pleased with your progress. I would like to sit down with you and review some points, if you are amenable?"

"Of course," Hux replied, warming at the compliment. Krennic gave praise sparingly, disposed towards negativity and verbal lashings- a man after Hux's own heart. He had once told Phasma that he thought one of her journal publications was 'adequate', and the usually confident and unflappable woman nearly fell to her knees to kiss his shiny, gleaming boots.

Krennic looked at Hux, examining him with his sharp, grey eyes, and Hux was uncomfortably aware of how he must have appeared: pressed and neatly put together, with manic eyes and dark circles. "How are your classes going?"

"Well enough, thank you," Hux said carefully.

"You have a busy schedule, if I recall correctly?" Krennic pressed.

"Nothing too overwhelming, sir," Hux assured him.

Krennic nodded, and pursed his lips. "You're teaching _Business and the Arts_ this semester, yes?"

Hux ground his teeth and clenched his jaw, fighting off his scowl. "Yes."

Despite his best effort, Krennic narrowed his eyes, and the harsh line of his lips crooked into a smirk. On anyone else it would look playful; on Krennic, it was wolfish.

"That class is notoriously awful for a reason, Hux," he said primly. "It's permissible to complain, if you wish."

"I hate artists," Hux replied, grimacing. "They're a pain."

Krennic chuckled and Hux grinned at the rare sight of it.

"Yes, all that resentment towards capitalism and 'The Establishment', as they're always so fondly calling it." Any other person would have rolled their eyes, but Krennic was more restrained; he simply shook his head once, the small action speaking volumes to Hux. "It's like they don't understand that the supposed establishment is how they will survive in the world."

"I agree," Hux replied, "but I do enjoy the animosity at times. The way they glare at me like I'm Satan incarnate can be quite flattering."

Krennic did not laugh this time, but he gave Hux an approving smile.

"It is refreshing to see young faculty so steadfastly opposed to their students. We don't have to worry about fraternization with you like we have others," Krennic said.

In military school as a young boy, Hux had acquired a rigid poker face. When instructors would approach him with accusations of fighting the other boys, he would summon it, neutralizing every muscle in his face until it was bland slate. It had served him well as a child, but did not translate well into business. His father had once chided him after a board meeting that rather than masking his emotions, his studious practiced mask was a tell.

"When you go blank, you let everyone in the room know you're affected," his father said, his voice hoarse from age but still just as weighty and imposing as it had been when Hux was a young boy. "If you want to hide your true emotions, put on a different one."

With his father's words ringing in his ears, Hux adjusted his face, summoning a half smile and cocking his eyebrows, broadcasting to the Dean, the man in charge of his current livelihood, that he was the furthest thing from a fraternizing professor. He buried his panic deep down in the same pit he had been repressing the memory of his night spent with Ren.

"I don't socialize with children," Hux lied.

"No, I know that," Krennic assured him, "but there have been incidences this semester apparently. I heard from the Dean of the College of the Arts that it's an ongoing battle to enforce appropriate student-teacher interactions.

"Is that so?" Hux asked, vocalizing incredulity. Inwardly, he was not surprised in the least.

The older man leaned in towards Hux with a conspiratorial glint in his eyes.

"Yes. Apparently the professors take their students out for drinks sometimes. Their Dean has no problem with it, but there have been incidences of professors drinking one on one with students," Krennic elaborated.

"Appalling," Hux replied in a scandalized voice, though he felt five seconds from puking all over Krennic's crisp, white shirt.

Krennic nodded. "I agree, completely unprofessional. If I were in their position, the offending professor would be dismissed immediately."

Hux's stomach dropped. He knew Krennic was treating Hux as a confidant, an almost-equal, but it all felt rather ominous, as if Krennic was going in a roundabout way to threaten Hux.

"As is right, sir," was all Hux managed to reply.

Krennic stared at him a moment with searching eyes, and Hux wondered if his voice had wavered or his face was flushed with shame, anything that could have given him away.

"Well, we don't have to worry with you," Krennic said, followed by a curt nod, and then glanced at the beautiful timepiece he wore on his wrist, "Anyways, I will email you about a meeting time. My days are fairly packed, so perhaps after one of your evening classes."

Hux schooled his features back to something enthusiastic and nodded. "Of course, whenever you are free. Thank you, Dr. Krennic."

Krennic gave him a detached, parting smile, and then strode down the hall, away from Hux.

Hux watched after him, overwhelmed by his relief that Krennic had not seen through him, until a person cleared their throat somewhere near his right ear.

"Who's that?" Kylo asked.

Hux spun around faster than was probably humanely possible to find Ren looming there in all his dark, tacky glory. He barely registered the young man's outlandish outfit- a sweater with large holes that flaunted his skin and negated any sort of functionality, and Doc Martins and _damn it, why can't he dress like a functional member of society_ , Hux inwardly cursed - and gawked in horror at the last person he needed to see after that interaction.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for your office hours, _remember_?" Kylo asked antagonistically. He was staring at Hux as if he was the dumbest person on the earth, and all things considered, Hux thought he might be right.

"Follow me," was all Hux could manage before he pushed past Ren.

It was a short walk, and when they arrived Hux opted to close the door to keep away any prying eyes. He sat in his chair and bent his head into upturned palms.

"Who was that?" Kylo repeated impatiently.

"The Dean of the _First Order College of Business_ ," Hux replied, muffled by his hands.

" _Really_?"

"Yes."

"Maybe I did pick the wrong major. All you business professors are way hotter than what we've got in the music department," Kylo said with a lecherous lilt.

Hux peeked between the cracks of his fingers to glare at Ren, who was leering at him.

"Don't."

"He's older, sure, but that just means he has more _experience._ "

"Ren," Hux said coarsely. "Stop. I don't think I have the stomach to listen to your sexual fantasies about my Dean and doctoral adviser, especially considering how he just commended me on _not_ sleeping with any students."

" _Really?"_ Ren asked, delightfully scandalized.

Hux opted for a long groan instead of a proper reply.

"Oh, that is amazing," Kylo said while Hux collapsed his arms on the table and laid his head down. "Dr. Daddy has no clue what you've even been up to."

"If you ever call him Dr. Daddy again I will eviscerate you," Hux promised.

Kylo chuckled, and Hux lifted his head so he could witness his cocky grin in all its shit-eating glory.

"Why are you even here?" Hux asked.

"For your office hours," Kylo said, voice implying that it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Do you actually have a question for me, of are you here to be a nuisance?"

Kylo managed to look wounded for all of five seconds before he huffed angrily and flipped his hair. Hux tried his best not to notice that it was not done up in any kind of strange updo but gently waving down to his shoulders like it had the night at the cantina, black and infuriatingly luxurious.

"You said if I behaved I could come by your office hours," Kylo reminded him with a sour voice.

Hux raised himself off the desk and sighed. Technically, Kylo was right.

"Fine, what can I help you with?"

"Well, I would like you to review my essay, but that can wait as I have more pressing questions," Kylo said.

"Like?"

Kylo leaned forward and smiled at Hux, all teeth and no tact. "What's your favorite kind of food?"

Hux blinked at him for a moment before the question registered.

"That is not related to the class."

"I don't care," Kylo said honestly. "I want to know what you like to eat."

"Why?" Hux asked,

"Because, you're this tightly wound enigma, and all I know about you is that you grow basil and you're writing your dissertation on the correlation between military growth and economic prosperity."

"I'm not an enigma," Hux said petulantly. "Just a private person."

"Can I be honest?" Kylo segued, throwing Hux off balance

"I feel like you're going to be whether I say yes or no," Hux muttered. Ren grimaced at him and made a show of rolling his eyes.

"I'm trying to play by your rules here. I know I can't easily fuck my way into your good graces because you're skittish and paranoid that you'll lose your job, and I respect that. But at least let me get to know you outside of that rocking body."

"Oh Jesus," Hux cursed, completely mortified.

"I like you," Kylo barreled on. He looked a man assured of himself, knowing what he wanted and determined to get it. Hux wished he had Kylo's confidence, that he could feel that something in his life was guaranteed and inevitable, but his own poor decisions in regards to Ren had jolted him off  axis.

"Please don't say that in my office," was all Hux could manage in the face of Ren's earnestness.

"I like you, and I'll to wait 'til the semester is finished to do something about it. But in the meantime, stop being so fucking stubborn and let me know what you like to eat,"

Hux would have glared if he had not been completely derailed by Kylo's honesty. His cheeks were burning amber, he could feel it, and for the first time in years he felt like someone pursued.

"Thai," Hux said evenly, "I like Thai food."

Kylo's resulting smile was brilliant, the sun parting through clouds and glittering on the sea.

"Thai," Kylo replied, tone affectionate and smile infectious. "I can dig that."

 

* * *

 

That had been Monday: quiet conversation in his office, followed by Hux's lecture and a walk to his car with Ren. When Ren opened the car door for him, Hux felt twenty again, shy and on edge, wondering if he would get kiss, and partly afraid if he did. Kylo thankfully only gave him a wink and shoved him into the car as a parting gesture., On Wednesday, Kylo Ren came by his office with Earl Grey for Hux and halfhearted questions about the class. Hux sipped and answered as best he could, put at ease by the warmth of the tea and Ren's steady gaze.

"Any other questions?" Hux asked when he finished summarizing some of the different business classifications that would be on the next test.

"Yes, I am thinking of making business cards that I can pass out at gigs, but I'm worried about putting the wrong things on them," Kylo said.

Hux's guard was down and his usual suspicion and distrust of Ren was at bay.

"Oh, business cards aren't so hard," Hux explained, reaching a hand down to open up a drawer in his desk, "the goal is to keep them simple and to the point. Anything too flashy will distract from the information that matters."

Hux pulled out a box of his own business cards he kept in his desk, simple white things on card stock that listed his name in plain black font, alongside a subline that said _Business Consultant_ and his contact information. He handed it to Ren, who examined it with narrowed eyes.

"They're kind of boring," Ren said with a cocked eyebrow for emphasis.

Hux shrugged. "They're not supposed to be entertaining. Every time someone hands me a business card that's overtly creative I roll my eyes and make sure never to call them."

"Wow," Kylo said, drawn out dramatically, "You are kind of stuck up, you know?"

"I know that, but only because I have reason to be," Hux laughed.

Kylo shook his head, affecting a mock air of disdain. "I can't believe I like you."

"Tell me about it," Hux grumbled, glancing out of reflex to his office door, which was slightly cracked, a universally understood symbol in academia that the professor was in, and technically available to see a student, but would really rather not.

"Can I keep this, as a reference for when I design mine?" Ren asked.

"Sure, though I think the concept is rather simple to remember."

Ren glared at him and Hux could not help it, he had to smirk at his annoyed face.

They returned to questions about the class, and conversation never veered off into the personal territory. Twenty minutes before class, Ren excused himself to go meet up with Rey, and Hux gathered his things together and made the walk to class. It was an unremarkable day, and Ren disappeared after class with Rey without a parting word. Hux walked by himself, ignoring the disappointment sitting uncomfortably in his stomach, and reasoned with himself that he should be glad that Ren was showing some restraint and following Hux's lead.

That night, while Hux was curled up in his loveseat, eating a sad bowl of microwaved soup and browsing through Netflix, his phone buzzed on his coffee table. He picked up his phone, expecting a text from Phasma, but the alert was from an unknown number.

 _hey,_ was all it said.

 _Who is this?_ Hux asked

 _who do u think it is_?

 _I have no idea. If you don't inform me of who you are, I will block your number_.

_dude can u chill its kylo_

"What the fuck?" Hux yelled.

 _What the fuck?_ Hux texted. And then, _How did you get my number?_

_I guess i got lucky that the only phone number u put on ur card was your cell_

_Of course_ , Hux thought bitterly, _of fucking course._

 _Not OK Ren,_ Hux sent.

 _uh not my fault ur easily tricked,_ Kylo replied, and then _, what r u wearin?_

Hux fleetingly wondered if anger could trigger an aneurism, and briefly hoped it would so he could be free from this.

 _I am not sexting you_.

_aw come on im following ur rules. no inappropriate talk on campus_

_Manipulating me to get my phone number is not following my rules._

_it was resourceful, i thought u business types like that_

Hux had to grudgingly admit to himself that it was rather resourceful.

 _come on give me somethin here, ur driving me nuts,_ Kylo sent.

_What?_

_u were looking so good in that stupid fuckin sweater vest today, with your tie and shit. driving me crazy._

_Oh my God, Kylo are you that depraved that office wear turns you on?_

_yes i fuckin am. ur such a tease hiding away in all those puffy layers_

Hux set aside his soup to type with both thumbs.

_You're terrible. How am I going to keep you in line if you're fetishizing my sweaters?_

_tell me what ur wearin right now. u cant still be in ur professor clothes_

Hux glanced down at himself, and laughed.

_I'm wearing pajama bottoms._

_omg,_ was Kylo's reply, _if ur trying to turn me off its not working. whats the print?_

_Christmas print._

_i have never been more turned on before._

"He's ridiculous," Hux announced to his empty apartment. "He's a child."

_So are you going to tell me what you're wearing, or am I going to have to imagine. Let me guess. Something black?_

It was a brazen text, but Hux decided he was screwed anyways. His trepidation returned when Kylo did not reply immediately. He stared at the darkened screen of his phone and wondered if that had somehow put Kylo off. Hux returned to his bowl of tepid chicken noodle soup and tried to force it down into his uneasy stomach.

Three bites later and his phone buzzed. Hux opened up the message, and then promptly dropped his phone into the soup in shock. He scrambled and wiped it off on his pant legs, fumbling to get the phone open again to verify what he had seen. 

Kylo had not sent a text back, but a picture of himself lying in bed, naked save for a pair of tight red briefs. The picture started at his lips, which he was biting with his sharp canines, down the expanse of his muscled body, flecked with beauty marks and moles, and ended at the top of the briefs, unmistakably tented.

 _Fuck ren you cant send me things like that,_ Hux hurriedly replied.

Kylos response was lightning fast. _too late, its in ur phone. u better put it to good use._

_I'm deleting it, and then I'm turning off my phone for the night._

_fine, ur loss. good night prof._

Hux tossed his phone onto the floor, trying to put physical distance between himself and Kylo Ren's infuriatingly attractive body. He stripped off his soup soaked pants, along with his shirt, suddenly hot in his apartment, and crawled into bed 

"I'm so fucked. I'm so fucked. I'm so fucked," Hux muttered.. He stared at the ceiling, tapping into his willpower, and believing he could resist the temptation of Kylo's picture, until he remembered that he needed to set his alarm on his phone for work tomorrow. He glanced down to the floor where his phone laid across the room, innocently flashing it's tiny red light, signaling it was low on battery.

"God damn it," Hux muttered. He retrieved the phone and opened it to where he left off: Kylo Ren's body, looking incandescent, smooth marble in the low light of his bedroom, an open invitation for Hux to drop his hand down his body and grip the erection that had been persistent since he had opened the picture.

"God _damn_ it," Hux sighed, mostly frustrated and a bit reverent, as he jerked off to Kylo Ren, standing stark naked in the middle of the room.

* * *

 

Hux was slowly losing his mind. Kylo Ren kept up a steady stream of text messages throughout the rest of the week, sending him a combination of benign, innocent personal questions and innuendo laden texts. During the day Hux could rationalize it, telling himself that he had previously conceded to Ren that they could get to know each other. At night it was harder; Ren would send him foul things, requests for Hux to send pictures or just tell him anything filthy. Hux felt pulled between propriety and arousal, denying Kylo Ren while simultaneously teasing just enough to get the kind of reactions he wanted out of the younger man. Ren showered him with tempting photos and filthy promises. Hux had not jerked off this much since he was a teenager; he fleetingly wondered if one could develop carpal tunnel from excessive masturbation.

On the following Monday, Hux went about business as usual, with the exception of surreptitiously checking his phone between his classes. Where Kylo had been flooding his phone with message after message over the weekend, he was silent. His phone felt like a weight in his pocket, and Hux could have sworn he felt it vibrating against his thigh, but every time he checked, nothing was there.

Office hours were equally as scarce, without a single visit from Kylo Ren, or any other student for that matter. Hux achieved nothing, just stared vacantly at his open doorway, gaping wide, an almost desperate plea for Ren's large figure to waltz through. But no one came.

He walked to his class early, disappointed to find no one waiting for him outside the door, and went about setting up the projector for class presentations, shifting the podium front and center for his students to nervously shift behind while they gave their speeches. Then he sat at his desk and aimlessly scrolled through his email while students began to file in.

Five minutes to class start and Rey and Ren finally walked in, bickering and completely unaware of those around them. Rey and Ren wore matching hair styles today, three ridiculous buns, and Hux would have rolled his eyes at how silly they looked together if he was not so relieved to see Ren. _This is bad_ , Hux thought, _you've got it bad_. They sat in the back of the class, continuing their lively exchange, with Rey waving her arms aggressively at her cousin, but neither so much as glanced towards the front of the classroom.

"Alright," Hux announced after a few futile minutes of watching the pair, "let's start. Group one, come up and make your presentation."

Hux dimmed the classroom lights and the room went awash with blue from the projector as the first group tried to figure out which connectors to plug their laptops into. Hux stood with his hands on his hips, hoping to seem annoyed and frustrated, as he casually glanced to the back of the room. Kylo Ren was staring at him, finally, his eyes black in the dim, glowing light, and his skin an ethereal blue. He smiled and gave the slyest wink Hux may have ever received.

 _I am going to murder him,_ Hux decided.

Hux sat at his desk and motioned for the group to start, and managed to focus in on their presentation. Class passed in this manner, pairs talking about their proposed business plans, Hux trying to moderate the amount of points he docked off for useless information and clearly last minute work. He forgot about Kylo Ren until he called out 'Group Five, you're on,' and a loud screech of chair legs screeching against linoleum sounded from the back. Hux watched as Ren disentangled himself from the swinging arm of the desk and shuffled up behind an over enthusiastic Rey. They came to the front of the class, and Rey stood behind the podium while Ren strode up to the console next to Hux's desk and hooked up his laptop.

"Hey Prof," Ren said, face carefully casual, "mind if I set this on your desk here?"

"By all means," Hux replied. He shifted his papers aside to make room for Ren's laptop.

Ren made a show of bending over and hooking up his laptop, and it was all Hux could do not to outright stare at him. From the few glances he managed, he saw the way his shoulders pulled his t-shirt taught, how the thin fabric rucked up his body and revealed a pale glimpse of his back dipping low into the first hints of his ass, which was concealed in very tight pants. When he straightened up he looked down to Hux, back to the rest of the class, and gave him a wicked smile.

"You can start now," Hux snapped.

"We will be presenting on our business model for musicians," Rey said cheerily. "To start off, most musicians will be doing freelance work, whether they are gigging or teaching."

Rey nodded curtly at Ren, who was still lingering at Hux's desk besides his laptop. Ren tapped a key and the slide changed to the next. The powerpoint screen displayed succinct bullet points accompanied by tacky clip art of musical instruments. Hux was tempted to mark off point for the eyesore it was, but Ren was glancing at him out of the corner of his eye, and Hux was too distracted by the heat he thought could feel radiating off his large body to be petty.

"If you're lucky enough to get an orchestra gig, or you stay in school long enough to be a professor, obviously your tax filing will be different," Rey informed the class seriously.

"However there are no jobs so you're going to be primarily dependent on playing for churches and teaching snotty high schoolers," Ren added, and the class chuckled together, clearly amused by Ren's honesty. Hux grimaced. _Artists._

"Kylo is correct of course, so we are going to talk about a business strategy for independent contractors. If you're looking for performance gigs, you're going to be dependent on word of mouth initially. You'll need to perform well enough for your peers that they'll feel comfortable recommending you for a gig," Rey explained.

"Being able to drink with musicians doesn't hurt either," Ren quipped.

"Professionalism," Hux reminded him.

Ren sat back against the desk, his body a scant few inches away from Hux, and glanced back at him over his shoulders.

"Being able to drink has gotten many people many interesting _positions_ in the past, Professor," Ren said slyly.

Whatever quip Hux had on the tip of his tongue died out. The comment was innocuous enough, but all Hux could think about was the messages and photos Ren had been torturing him with all weekend, the way Ren leaned back on his desk, propped up by his muscled arms and body practically bursting out of his skin tight clothes.

Rey and Ren rambled on about strategies for gaining students, tax filing situations if one actually chose to declare their under the table earnings, and many other things that did not register to Hux. He was so distracted that he could not honestly decide if they had done well or not, but he assumed that Rey and her tendency to not just meet but overshoot requirements meant that it had been a very good presentation. He marked them down as an A and called up the next group with a dry throat,

Ren was still standing before him though, detaching his computer much more slowly than was necessary, purposefully lingering. Hux looked up at him, throat tight around his breath and sweating beneath all his layers. Ren snapped the top of his laptop down, the sound loud to Hux's sensitive ears, and stood there a moment longer.

"Anything you need, Mr. Ren?" Hux asked, forcing himself to sound disdainful.

"Oh, a few things, but it can wait til after class," Ren replied tartly. He walked away without another word and sat beside Rey, looking victorious.

When the class was wrapped up and students were filing out for the day, Hux decided it was time to regain the upperhand.

"Mr. Ren, a word please?" Hux called out to him as he neared the front of the class.

Rey lingered for a moment, looking to Ren with a question on her lips, but her cousin simply shrugged, dismissing her with a dip of his head.

"What's up, professor?"

"I'd like to speak to you about your behavior," Hux said evenly.

Ren's eyebrows jutted up, already offended. "I think I was pretty well behaved during the presentation."

"You know that's not what I meant."

Hux watched as realization hit Ren, and he began to shift from one foot to the next, clearly uncomfortable and being confronted. He had expected Hux to ignore the situation as he had tried to do for the last few weeks, had clearly not anticipated Hux to call him out on it. Hux stared at him, fixing him in place with his gaze and deciding what to do here. There were two options before him: end things once and for all, cut Ren down where he stood and move on, or to tip them over the ledge they had been toeing precariously.

"Follow me to my office," Hux said, decision made. He stood from his desk with purposeful, fueled with his determination, surging with the sureness of having finally come to a decision. His student followed behind and clumsy feet, thrown off balance, the confident persona he had been cultivating in the interactions and through his heated messages dissipating with every step. The long walk across campus was silent, and night had already fallen, the days dying earlier now with winter just around the corner. Everything was colored a coppery yellow from the sodium lights on campus, and Kylo Ren's coloring looked nacreous from it, marred by the nervous twist of his brow.

The _Faculty Office_ building was empty that time of night; few faculty ever held office hours in the evenings, and usually disappeared after their late classes. They walked up the stairs and the tap of the shoes were louder in the late hour, free to resound about the hall without any other bodies getting in the way. Hux unlocked his office door and held it open for Ren to walk into.

Ren opened his mouth, already stuttering out an apology, "L-look, I'm sorry if I stepped out of line-", but his words died out when Hux slammed him up against a wall.

"You think you can torture me for a week and get away with it?" Hux snarled. "Send me all those pictures and tease me, and you think I would just take it?"

Ren gasped, eyes wide and pupils blown open, his irises a small band of color. "No, that's not-"

Hux knocked him back again, putting him in place. "You disregarded my requests, said you would take it at my pace and then toyed with me. I don't like being toyed with."

He slotted a leg between Ren's, spreading his legs and bringing their bodies closer. The effect was instantaneous, the air becoming charged, electric in a different way than it had been mere seconds before. Ren gasped, straining against the arm Hux held him back with, trying to angle himself closer.

"I'm sorry," Ren lied.

"No you're not," Hux snapped. "But I've had enough of it."

Hux kissed Ren with all his frustration and anger. It was not like their first kiss, a drunken realization that had been pulled out of him, a discovery that he found Ren attractive and lovely despite everything that was wrong with him; this kiss was vicious, a confession that despite his best efforts Hux could not keep Ren away, could not stay strong against Ren's onslaught, that he wanted him viscerally and desperately, his career and prospects be damned.  He grabbed at Ren's hips, digging in hard just to hear him gasp.

"Hux," Ren moaned when his lips wandered down his strong neck, "Hux, fuck, please."

"What do you want Ren?" Hux asked meanly.

"I want everything," Ren admitted, "I want you to fuck me and I want to just be near you."

"I'm not going to fuck you here."

"God damn it," Ren gasped.

Hux bit down hard, digging his teeth in until he could taste the metallic tang of blood. Ren writhed in his hold, choking on his moans and grinding his hips greedily against Hux's. 

"If you can't manage to be quiet, I'll make you," Hux warned.

"Fucking hell, Hux, where did this come from?" Ren asked, breathy and still too loud for Hux's liking.

Hux backed away, drawing his hands off Ren's body. Ren followed after, body magnetized to Hux's pull.

"Stay put," Hux warned. Ren drew himself back with visible effort, placing his palms against the wall to ground.

Hux's hands went to the tie he was wearing, a dark crimson silk tie that he thought looked flattering against his pale skin. It was his favorite tie, but with Kylo Ren panting and staring at him like he was some kind of deity, he could not care any less for it. When it was undone, he drew it from his neck with a snap and balled it up in his fist.

"Open up your mouth," Hux ordered.

Kylo Ren did not resist, his jaw dropping immediately, pink tongue glistening in the low light of his office. Hux shoved it in his mouth, gagging him, and gave himself one brief moment to admire the aesthetic of Ren in all black with the red silk peeking from his parted lips, before he set to work.

Ren was hard and straining against his too-tight pants. Hux deftly unzipped him and grasped him in hand, giving his dick a few strokes while Ren breathed heavily through his nose.

"Stay put," Hux warned, before dropping to his knees. The muffled whine Ren made was like music, and for the first time Hux felt like he had the upper hand.

Hux took Ren into his mouth in one easy swallow, years of practice making him brutally efficient. A loud knock game from above him, and Hux glanced up to see Ren's neck craned and head resting back against the wall, eyes screwed shut. _Unacceptable_ , Hux thought. He ran his tongue along the underside of Ren's cock, hallowing out his cheeks and dragging his lips back, drawing Ren's gaze back down to him. Hux glanced up again, looking into Ren's eyes as he set a brutal rhythm. They stared at each other the whole time, Ren flushing red and eyes watering, Hux's face wet from his spit and Ren's precome slicking out of the corners of his mouth. Ren did not make it long, maybe a minute or two, before he was bunching Hux's hair in his hands, tugging and trying to warn Hux. Hux hummed his consent, and Ren's body shuddered as he came, caving in and down like he could not support himself under Hux's onslaught. He tasted salty pouring down Hux's throat, and Hux found he wanted more, swallowed his cock down his throat to get every last bit he could.

When he popped off, his knees were aching and his mouth was swollen, hair falling messily into his face. Hux glanced upwards to Ren, who was staring down at him reverently, his chest heaving in and eyes glassy in the afterglow. Affection replaced Hux's brutal desire, and he rested his forehead against Ren's strong thighs, before he dragged himself up Ren's body. He plucked his tie from Ren's lips, the thing soaked through with Ren's spit and thoroughly ruined.

"Hux," Ren panted.

"Ren," Hux said, voice warm.

"What do you want from me?" Ren asked, glancing down at Hux's slacks and the place where Hux was straining against the fabric.

"What do I want?" Hux echoed.

Ren nodded furiously, eager to please.

"I want to get takeout," Hux said while he tucked back a piece of Ren's wayward hair behind one of his ears, "and then go back to my apartment and fuck you."

Ren's smiled, beaming and sweaty, and asked Hux, "Thai?"

"Thai sounds perfect."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait. I wrote this chapter approximately three times, totally unsatisfied with my work. I think this is the best out of those tries and I hope you all enjoy it, and that it made the wait worth it.
> 
> There's three more chapters left to this. It's almost done!! I can't wait to wrap it up.
> 
> As always, come stop by [my tumblr](celloing.tumblr.com) and talk kylux with me!


	9. Chapter 9

Hux's days passed in a blissful blur of school work and teaching, with endless amounts of grading and consultations.

And sex; his days were filled with quite a bit of sex.

"Fuck," Kylo moaned out. It was Hux's new favorite sound, Kylo's cracked voice, the way he panted and gasped into Hux's bed sheets. "Fuck, Hux,  _please_ don't stop."

How could Hux refuse such a nicely voiced request?

Hux lapped at Ren's rim, circling the ring of muscles in methodical licks, pushing in with metronomic precision and wringing the sweetest shout from Kylo's raw throat. Kylo ground back against Hux's face, driving himself on Hux's tongue with shaking legs. His whole body was slick with sweat and glistened in the bright lights of Hux's studio. 

"Hux, I- I'm,  _oh fucking hell,_ fuck, fuck- I'm going to come if you k-keep," Ren gasped in warning. His body spoke the rest; Kylo was shaking with it, his ass taught beneath the places Hux's hands spread his cheeks wide. Hux pushed his tongue in one last time, sucking and licking at Kylo's loose rim, before pulling off with a wet pop.

"We couldn't have that," Hux said. He wiped a palm across his lips, smearing the spit that covered his chin. Kylo groaned and collapsed face first in the bed.

Hux squeezed the base of his cock, groaning at the sight of Kylo's ass in the air. Little red marks smattered the soft skin, places where Hux had bit in and sucked. "Jesus, Kylo."

"Please, come on,  _please_ ," Kylo begged. He lifted his head from his arms, staring at Hux through strands of sweat soaked hair. "Please, Hux, if you don't fuck me  _right now_ , I'll die."

"We wouldn't want that." Hux gripped Kylo's hip with his hand- the other lined his cock up. "Ok, darling," he sighed as he pushed in, "I got you."

 

* * *

 

At school and in class they kept up the status quo. Ren sat in the back of the room with Rey, smirking at Hux and throwing out nasty comments when the timing was right. Hux for the most part fielded it with his usual snark. The only difference were the evenings- Ren would be on his knees, his thick lips spread wide from the stretch of Hux's cock in his mouth. It was a much more effective means of managing him when Kylo got mouthy. 

It worked for the most part, the weeks passing in that manner, Hux's mornings beginning with Kylo's arms wrapped around him, his nights ending pressed up against the younger man's chest, body lax from sex. As long has he didn't prod the small place in his mind that screamed at him for the violation of ethics, for the sure end this would bring his career- Hux managed the whole arrangement better than expected.

One morning Hux up rolled over into a warm patch of bed, bereft of the body he had quickly grown used to waking up beside. He palmed the space, searching for the solid weight of Ren's back, the sleepy mass of his arms. He groaned in defeat and opened his eyes, searching for Kylo's broad chest and awkward smile. 

In Hux’s studio was a circular window that stared down at the street. It was a sleepy street, with light foot traffic. Hux kept little potted herbs on there that he barely ever disturbed, basil that flowered over and over, wild mint and bushy rosemary. He left them by the round window to soak up the sun, but that morning it was raining, and drops of water spattered across the glass cast streaked shadows on the tiny garden. Below the window was a bench with old pillows, and there sat Kylo Ren, wearing one of Hux’s shirts and a pair of sweat pants. He was smelling the plants, his cup of coffee discarded onto the floor, and Hux felt an overwhelming warmth and fondness that for a moment smothered his paranoia that anyone could see Ren from his window.

“What are you doing?” Hux asked as he crawled out of bed.

“What’s the saying? ‘Stop and smell the basil?’”

Hux swatted at Kylo’s thigh, sunk down below the bench and leaned against Kylo’s legs, head laid on his knee. Hux had been so hungry for affection all those years, he was gorging himself on it now that he could. Kylo instantly carded his fingers through his hair, hummed an entrancing melody two octaves too low.

“What’s that?” Hux asked. He was already nodding off to the percussive patter of rain and the throaty dip’s in Ren’s hum.

“Scheherazade,” Kylo mumbled, scratching his fingers low.

“Bless you.”

“God, you’re so annoying,” Kylo laughed, rewarding Hux with another scratch. “It’s a piece by Rimsky-Korsakov. That’s the melody of Scheherazade trying to tell her husband a story.”

“Sounds awfully dramatic for some story telling,” Hux murmured, already dozing beneath Ren's clever fingers.

“Well, she’s telling the story so her husband won’t kill her. The story goes that the king’s first wife was unfaithful, so he marries a new virgin every night and then kills them the next day to ensure their faithfulness.”

Hux tilted his head up and peered at Hux incredulously. “That’s pretty morbid.”

Kylo chuckled and nodded, said, “I agree. But it’s ok. Scheherazade is well educated and has a way to end it all, so she marries him and tells a story to her little sister that evening. She doesn’t finish the story, so the king spares her because he wants to know how it ends. The next night she starts a new one, and after a thousand nights she runs out of stories, but by then he’s fallen in love with her.”

Hux sighed and rubbed his face against Ren’s shin. “Why would anyone find that romantic?”

Kylo stilled his movements, and when Hux glanced at him, his eyes were closed, his face perturbed. “Well, most people find lost causes a little romantic.”

The words fell quietly into Hux’s apartment, cozy from the weekend they had spent fucking. 

“Come on, come away from the window.”

 

* * *

 

School, work, sex, days spent grading papers while Kylo scribbled out his remedial theory work- the routine suited Hux fine. The end of the semester was drawing nearer, just a month left of school til Hux was free to reexamine his trysts with Ren without the threat of being canned. As seedy and terrible as it was, Hux was content to stick to the status quo.

Evidently though, Kylo was not.

The shift happened after class one day. Kylo had followed Hux back to his office, grumbling half-heartedley about Hux's unfair grading (the uncomfortable, unethical, horrible truth of it was Hux had been more  _lenient_ on him, but Hux had pushed that to the back of his mind with the rest of his guilt). When the door was shut and they were situated in their usual position- Kylo sitting on Hux's desk, Hux crowded between his legs and kissing his neck- Kylo gasped out a question.

"Would you like to see me play?" 

Hux hummed against Kylo's jaw, following the sound with a hot lick. "I have seen you play, at the shitty cantina, remember? You backed me into your car and kissed me."

Kylo nodded dumbly and reached out to Hux with needy hands. "Ngh, yes I know, I meant, like, do you want to see me play again?" 

Hux pulled back, untwining his hands from the man's thick hair, and gave him a wary look. "Ok, what for?"

Kylo lit up, clearly oblivious to Hux's apprehension. 

"I won the school's concerto competition," Kylo said, face cracked by his dazzling smile. "I'm performing Beethoven's 5th Piano Concerto, fully accompanied by the whole orchestra!"

In spite of himself, Hux found he was thrilled. "That's amazing!" he exclaimed, dipping in to kiss Kylo's cheek, "That's a big deal, right?"

Kylo nodded. "A very big deal. I've never played in so public a setting. Honestly I haven't even had a solo performance since my senior recital two years ago. I'm nervous as hell." 

"I wouldn't even know how not to be nervous in a situation like that, but they picked you for a reason."

Kylo hummed and nosed along Hux's jaw, drawing Hux further into his embrace. "So you'll come?"

Hux burrowed in deeper even as he hesitated for his answer. "When is it?"

"Friday of Final's week, 8 PM."

Hux drew back to look at Kylo's face- eyes gleaming and cheeks ruddy with excitement, affection and joy so clear and open on a face Hux had once thought to be permanently brooding- and said in his most careful voice, "I may have a conflict. I'll let you know."

Kylo blinked at Hux, his clear eyes dissolving into murky confusion. "Yeah, no worries, just let me know."

 

* * *

 

Hux had thought Kylo would let it drop, but Kylo was doggedly determined. The question would pop up insidiously in the middle of their early morning conversations, grumbled over coffee, after class in Hux's office. It was getting harder to avoid answering, even harder to find excuses. With each deflection Kylo grew moodier, his disappointment hunching his shoulders down and cracking his lips in a sullen pout. They still continued to fuck, spent their free moments in each other's arms, sharing food and bickering, but it was tinged by Hux's cowardice.  _Just tell him no,_ Hux would think each time, but the only thing he could manage to stammer out was, "I'll let you know."

It all came to a head one day in class. 

Ren was seated in the back with Rey, quiet and withdrawn, the playful smirks and snarky comments gone for the day. Hux managed to ignore him for the most part, droning on about business models and web platforms, until the lecture came to a close and Rey's hand shot up, perky and determined as ever.

"Professor, may I make an announcement?" she asked in her cheeriest voice. Hux rolled his eyes and shrugged.

"If you must."

Rey practically skipped to the front of the class, her excitement fruitlessly contained as possible. Hux glanced to Ren, who only shrugged in response, a cue Hux had learned as  _I've no fucking clue_. 

"So, I know next week is finals and we all are stuck with countless projects and tests-" at which point the whole room turned to stare at Hux in accusation- "but next Friday is the last symphony concert of the semester, and Kylo will be performing a concerto with the orchestra!" 

The class murmured in half-hearted excitement; everyone, including Hux, just wanted to be done and out of the room. 

"As concert master, I just wanted to extend an invitation to you all, since Kylo is far too bashful to do it himself." Hux snorted at that. Rey turned at the sound, glancing at him  with coy eyes and a knowing expression. "Will you be coming to the concert, Professor?"

Hux tried not to notice the way Kylo straightened up in the back, the hot feeling of his eyes on Hux's skin, but he was so attuned to the younger man that it was unavoidable. Hux swallowed and carefully kept his eyes on Rey. 

"I might, but I am possibly busy that evening," he said carefully. 

Before Rey could bully him publicly or Hux could call for an end to class, Kylo stood up from his seat, dragging his chair with a loud screech. The whole class turned back to look at him. His face was contorted in anger, his movements jerky as he collected his items and stormed out the class. Hux stood there frozen, watching as Kylo stomped through the door in a flurry of black. Rey glanced at Hux in what felt like an accusation, and Hux cleared his throat.

"Alright, well, I am sure if his performance is anything like his classroom presence, it will be quite the dramatic experience."

The class laughed at Hux's comment and started filing out, off to go drink and avoid their work like any proper grad student would. Then, it was just Hux alone with Rey. The classroom was chilled by Rey's icy anger, the absence of her warmth and charm keen. He turned to her slowly, guilt churning thick in him. When he met her eyes, he nearly flinched at the pure loathing in them. 

"You're a a real dick, you know?" Rey said before walking out on Hux, leaving him alone.

 

* * *

 

Hux tried texting Kylo for three days straight, his messages going from defensive to pleading in an alarmingly short amount of time. He sat alone in his apartment for the first time in weeks, chilled and worried. A dual anxiety warred in him, fear of losing the easy slide of Kylo's skin against his clashing violently with the dread that Kylo would take his anger to the appropriate channels and have Hux's career and studies terminated.

When Kylo did not show up to any of his classes, Hux started calling.

"Kylo, please, answer me so we can talk," Hux begged on the fifth day, countless voicemail later. "I'll make it up to you-"

 _Voicemail is now full. Thank you,_ an automated voice informed him. Hux chucked his phone across the room, cursing as he watched it bounce off the dry wall. 

"I can't take this anymore," he snarled to the emptiness of the room. He should have been snarling at Kylo. Hux couldn't take another two days of the silence just for Kylo not to show up to class on Monday. He glanced at the clock, 10:05 PM blinking at him. 

"Fuck it." Hux allowed the impulse to carry him on quick feet, snatching his coat and keys and slamming the door on his way out.

He remembered the way to Kylo's, the memory of sitting beside him in the beat up van warm on his skin. It was a short drive with Hux speeding. He parked haphazardly on the street and walked up to Kylo's.

He knocked on the door three times, expecting to be made to wait; he flinched when the door swung open.

"Can I help you?" Finn asked. 

"Is Kylo home?"

A clanging came from the kitchen, and then Rey rounded the corner, eyes shocked. "Holy shit, Professor Hux?"

"Surprise," he muttered. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

Hux pushed past the two of them and straight towards Kylo's room, incriminating himself further. It didn't matter. The silent treatment needed to end. He opened Kylo's door; Kylo was laid out on his bed, face miserable between two enormous headphones. Seeing him should have angered Hux, but he felt it give way to his desperation, his body reminding him how long they'd gone without touching.

Hux walked over to Kylo and gently shook him. "Kylo?"

The man's eyes shot open, red rimmed and startled. "Hux? What are you doing here?"

"You haven't answered any of my calls." As if that needed explaining.

Kylo pulled off his headphones an sat up in his bed. "Yeah, because I didn't want to talk to you."

"I gathered that, but I really think we need to talk," Hux replied. 

The younger man's face suddenly became livid. "That's rich from you. Since when do you want to ever talk?"

"I don't know, since you stormed out of my class!" Hux said, throwing his arms up in frustration. "Since you are apparently angry with me, and your anger could get me canned."

"I'm sorry, so I'm not allowed to be angry when you're acting like a jerk just because you're afraid I'll rat you out, which by the way, is an insult in and of itself?"

Kylo stood up from the bed and started pacing the room, his body shaking with his anger. 

"Don't you see how I could think that when you won't reply, the next logical conclusion is you running off to the dean. I know this is a terrible mistake-"

All the air seemed to leave Kylo in a a single loud gasp, freezing him in place. His eyes went wide with hurt and his jaw dropped open in shock.

"So all those weeks spent together was, just what, you repeatedly making mistakes?" 

Hux cringed. "No, no that's now what I meant-"

"What else could you have meant?" Kylo asked. His voice cracked when he said, "I thought it was going somewhere. I thought you liked me too. That's why I wanted you to come to my fucking concert you asshole."

Hux felt his mouth open but no word came. He didn't know what to say. "I thought it was just sex," was all he managed to croak out.

"I'm not your fucking plaything," Kylo said, his anger regaining momentum. "If I wanted a hook up, I'd have used tinder. I went after you because I liked you. I stayed around because I thought maybe it was starting to be more."

"Kylo."

"You need to leave Hux."

Hux wasn't brave enough to stay and fight it out. He swallowed down his explanations and nodded, and walked out of the apartment.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW I AM SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG TO UPDATE!
> 
> Life inevitably got in the way. I also got caught up with a few other projects. But I've returned and I'm determined to see this to the end. 
> 
> I know this was a short chapter. The next one will actually be quite long. There should be about two more chapters and an epilogue left to this fic!
> 
> Come chat with me on [my tumblr](celloing.tumblr.com). 
> 
> **If you'd like** [I made a moodboard for the fic that is rebloggable!](http://celloing.tumblr.com/post/145794158456/can-i-help-you-he-asked-no-longer-hiding-his)


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